The influence of Joseph V. Baker, APR, and the road ahead, By Chris Howell
Posted by admin on Feb. 7, 2023 / Subscribe 0
In November, I had the great fortune to attend PRSA ICON, where the conference theme was “The Power of Influence.” It was a great first-time experience, and one of the most memorable moments was learning about the late Joseph V. Baker, APR.
Once described as the “Dean of Negro public relations men,” Baker died in 1993 at 84, but not before making significant contributions to Black History and American History. He was a slight man and used a crutch because one of his legs was shorter than the other, but Baker, the youngest of nine children, made no excuses. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, “When he was a boy, he ran on that crutch and played baseball on it, and he never used it as an excuse.”
Baker would go on to achieve several firsts in public relations. Like many of us, his career began in journalism. He climbed the ladder from reporter to city editor at the Philadelphia Tribune, and he also wrote for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Baker left the newspaper business to become a public relations consultant for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He founded the first black-owned PR agency in the country, Joseph V. Baker and Associates, in New York in 1934, but this was just one of his firsts.
Baker was the first black journalist to write for the Philadelphia Inquirer. He was the first African American in public relations to become known for landing major accounts from large U.S. corporations. When he became the first African American president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 1958, he was elected unanimously. He was the first African American to gain accreditation from PRSA.
Over the years, his firm’s client list would include some of the most esteemed corporations in the world—companies like the Pennsylvania Railroad, American Tobacco Company, Carrier Corporation, Hamilton Watch Company, the Gillette Corporation, Scott Paper Company, RCA, Procter & Gamble, Chrysler, DuPont, U.S. Steel, Western Union, NBC, the Association of American Railroads, and several prominent African American entertainers.
Mr. Baker was a trailblazer. Keep in mind that he accomplished all this not only during The Great Depression but also while our country was experiencing some of its worst moments of racial and social inequality. I suspect his success stemmed from his “no excuse attitude” developed as a young man overcoming physical disabilities. It is now my hope that his story continues to serve as an inspiration, so, with determination and grit, we can all fight through our difficulties as well as the challenges of racism, biases, and other forms of division.
As we reflect on this time of the year, the purpose is to tell the story of those who helped us get where we are today. Hearing the stories of great Americans during Black History Month allows us to learn from others and understand the similarities we all share.
We can continue to impact our industry when we understand our own “Power of Influence.” That means advocating for those who need us. It means speaking out for those who don’t have a voice and those who are marginalized. It means speaking truth to power, and it also means living up to the oath we all adhered to, “I pledge to conduct myself professionally, with truth, accuracy, fairness, and responsibility to the public, fellow members, and the Society.” These values are always crucial every single day, not just during Black History Month. We still have so much left to do as communicators, but we must learn from the experiences, failures and triumphs of history to leave a legacy for those who follow.
Chris Howell, Sr. is president and CEO of Chris Howell Communications, LLC. He is also vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for PRSA Dallas.
Click here to learn more about the pioneers of public relations.
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