KENT STATE UNIVERSITY PRSSA
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Bylaws
    • Awards
  • Members
    • Officers/Advisers
    • NMGZ
    • Points & Recognition
    • Mentorship & Alumni
    • Committees
  • Events
    • Schedule
    • Conferences
    • 50th Anniversary
  • Resources
    • On-campus Opportunities
    • Scholarships
    • Internships >
      • Student Experiences
      • Internship Experiences
    • Reimbursement
    • What Is PR: High School Outreach Initiative
  • Diversity
  • News
    • Newsletters
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Speaking Opportunities
  • Join

Black Pioneers of the Public Relations Industry

2/5/2023

0 Comments

 
By: Chania Crawford and Camryn Lanning 
Joseph V. Baker (1908-1993) 
Our first pioneer, Joseph V. Baker, is accredited as being the first Black public relations firm owner. 

​Baker was born August 20, 1908, in Abbeville, SC. He began his media career in 1920s Philadelphia studying journalism at Temple University. He was the first Black writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, one of the oldest daily news publications in Philadelphia. 

After his career in journalism, he then worked as a PR consultant for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Shortly after, he found Joseph V. Baker and Associates, paving the way for generations to come. The historic PR firm emerged in 1934 and initially focused on Black media and audiences. 

Some of Joseph V. Baker and Associates' most notable clients include the American Tobacco Company, Carrier Corporation, Chrysler, the Gillette Corporation, Scott Paper Company, RCA, Procter & Gamble, NBC, U.S. Steel, Western Union and the Association of American Railroads. 

As for Baker’s work with PRSA, he was elected president of Philadelphia’s chapter in 1958. Along with being the first Black president, he was also the first Black individual to earn his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). 

Bayard Rustin (1912-1987)
Our second pioneer, Bayard Rustin, is famously known for being one of the key advisors to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and helped to organize MLK’s “March on Washington.” 

Rustin was born March 17, 1912, in West Chester, PA. He attended Wilberforce University and Cheyney State Teachers College. In the 1930s, he moved to New York City to study at City College of New York. 

Before his work with MLK, Rustin had a long history of protesting various civil rights and anti-war issues. He lived his life as an openly homosexual man during a time when homosexuality was criminalized. 

He began working with MLK in the 1950s, organizing many micro-protests during the civil rights movement. He became a key organizer of MLK's most famous, “March on Washington,” in which MLK delivered his “I Have A Dream Speech.”

After MLK’s death, he continued to assist civil rights protests and lived out the rest of his days advocating for human rights. 

Inez Y. Kaiser (1918-2016)
Our third pioneer, Inez Y. Kaiser, is accredited with being the first Black woman to own her own public relations firm. 

Kaiser was born April 22, 1918, in Kansas City, KS. Initially, she studied economics at Pittsburg State University and worked as a columnist for various newspapers around the country. 

Her career in public relations began when she leased an office in downtown Kansas City to open Inez Kaiser and Associates. Some of her most notable clients include the Jenkins Music Company, Burger King Corporation, Sterling Drug, 7UP (J. Walter Thompson), Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and Sears Roebuck & Company. 

Along with creating her own PR firm, Kaiser was a great contributor to the civil rights movement. She has a history of doing work for the NAACP and helped to spread crucial messages during the civil rights movement. 

Due to her great achievements in public relations, Kaiser was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Law from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO. 

Patricia L. Tobin (1948-2008)
Our fourth pioneer, Patricia Tobin, co-founded the National Black Public Relations Society and remains a prominent figure in the world of public relations today. 

Tobin was born February 28, 1948, in White Plains, NY. She studied journalism at the Charles Morris Price School of Journalism and moved to Los Angeles in 1977.

After moving to Los Angeles, she worked for KCBS-TV Channel 2 as an event organizer. In 1983, she formed her own firm, Tobin & Associates, one of the most successful PR firms in the country. 

In 1987, she co-founded the National Black Public Relations Society, a communications group focused on amplifying Black individuals in the public relations industry. To this day, NBPR remains a crucial support system for providing insight and mentorship for Black individuals.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    June 2012


    Categories

    All
    Bateman
    Brands
    Career Development
    Communications Connection
    Crisis
    Entertainment
    Ethics
    Fashion
    Global Issues
    Guest Blog
    Homecoming
    Integrated Marketing Communications
    Leadership Rally
    Media Relations
    National Assembly
    National Conference
    On Campus
    Opinion
    PR In The News
    PRKent Alumni
    PR Sequence
    PRSSANC 2018
    Public Affairs
    Recaps
    Student Experiences
    YouToo Social Media Conference

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Bylaws
    • Awards
  • Members
    • Officers/Advisers
    • NMGZ
    • Points & Recognition
    • Mentorship & Alumni
    • Committees
  • Events
    • Schedule
    • Conferences
    • 50th Anniversary
  • Resources
    • On-campus Opportunities
    • Scholarships
    • Internships >
      • Student Experiences
      • Internship Experiences
    • Reimbursement
    • What Is PR: High School Outreach Initiative
  • Diversity
  • News
    • Newsletters
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Speaking Opportunities
  • Join