I got my start in public relations at an African American history & culture museum dedicated to share the stories of Black culture shapers, innovators and trailblazers in Maryland and beyond. Growing up, my parents (especially my mom!) intentionally exposed me to Black excellence through our local church, museum exhibitions, concerts, plays and civil rights organizations. I didn’t learn much Black history at school, so when I had the opportunity to do presentations and projects, I challenged myself to research a Black hero.

There is some debate over the necessity of Black History Month. After all these years, I still value it and use it as a time to celebrate and remind the world of our brilliance. Black History Month puts our culture in front of eyes and ears that may not prioritize learning about it on their own. Our contributions to society started long before we were enslaved and continue today across every continent, country and industry. I continue to learn and expand my knowledge of Black history and hope that you do as well.

For today’s article, I wanted to share a few of the early Black pioneers in media whose names may be new to you (kudos if you knew them all!):

Timothy Thomas Fortune (October 3, 1856 – June 2, 1928) – was editor of The New York Age, which was the leading Black newspaper at the time. He advised Booker T. Washington and edited his autobiography.

William Venoid Banks (May 6, 1903 – August 24, 1985) – was the first President and General Manager of what became first Black radio station in Detroit and the first Black-owned and Black operated TV station in the U.S.

Alice Allison Dunnigan (April 27, 1906 – May 6, 1983) – was the first Black female correspondent who received White House credentials and became a member of the press rooms for both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. She also was the first Black journalist to cover a U.S. president on his campaign trail.

Joseph Varney Baker (August 20, 1908 –  May 7, 1993) – was an editor for the Philadelphia Tribune and formed the first Black-owned PR agency in 1934. His firm focused on PR, marketing and advertising for Black audiences.

Inez Yeargan Kaiser (April 22, 1918 – July 31, 2016) – was the first Black woman to run a PR agency that had national clients. She was also the first Black woman to join the national Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 1966. 

Patricia Tobin (February 28, 1943 – June 10, 2008) – was a broadcast journalist in Los Angeles who was known in the 80s for her weekly “journalist jam” networking events. She left her job in 1983 to start her own PR agency, Tobin and Associates which gained national prominence with an extensive roster of celebrity clients and Fortune 500 companies. Tobin was a co-founder of the National Black Public Relations Society (NBPRS).

Carole Simpson (born December 7, 1940) – was the first Black woman to anchor a major network newscast in the U.S. In 1982, she joined ABC News; she anchored the weekend edition of World News Tonight for 15 years from 1988 to 2003. Ms. Simpson was the first woman of color to moderate a presidential debate.