If you are African-American, and you are an aspiring Public Relations professional like me, you need to know who Moss H. Kendrix, and what he affect he has on African-American PR professionals.
Moss Kendrix attended thee Historical Black Institution, Morehouse College in the mid 1930’s. While obtaining his degree at Morehouse he joined the Alpha Rho chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He also showed early signs of interest of Mass Communications by joining the Universities newspaper, The Maroon Tiger, where he ultimately became the chief editor. Kednrix also helped to co-found Phi Delta Delta Journalism Society, the sole pioneering African-American Journalism society. Throughout his matriculation at Morehouse he found his passion in Mass Communications that lead to a promising and innovative career. Kednrix is considered to be one of the leading African-American fathers in the field of Mass Communications and Public Relations. He made many contributions to the industry that is still being used to this day. His contributions helped to make strides in the African-American community as well as other ethnic minorities; lastly his contributions have led many companies and brands to embrace Kendrix’s ideas to make currents advances in the field of Mass Communications and Public Relations.
Upon graduating from Morehouse College Kendrix was accepted into Howard University’s Law School in 1939, but decide to gain more work experience. Within gaining more work experience within the year of 1939 he generated the National Negro Newspaper, one of his first contributions to the mass communications industry. This recognition still remains to this day but in the form of Black Press Week, which is observed annually by the National Newspaper Publishers Association formally known as NNPA. Also within the 1939 year he married Dorothy Marie Johnson who attended Spellman College, to the union two sons were born; Moss Kendrix Jr., and Alan Kendrix. Shortly after marriage Kendrix was drafted to the United States Army in 1941, during his time of service he worked for the Treasury Department in the War Finance Office. Within his work travels across the country with African-American celebrities promoting war bonds, and often making an appearance on radio shows for the Columbia Broadcasting System network. In 1944, Kendrix became the director of Public Relations for the Republic of Liberia’s Centennial Celebration.
The Moss Kendrix Organization also came to in the year of 1944, the companies’ moto “What the Public Thinks Counts!” The Moss Kendrix Organization was established in Washington, D.C. The Moss Kendrix Organization was at the helm of several major companies accounts aimed at African-American consumers. Several of the companies that The Moss Kendrix Organization worked with were Carnation, the Nation Dental Association, the National Educational Association, Ford Motor Company, and The Coca-Cola Company. Kendrix also worked with World Wide Developers Conference formally known as WWDC, on a weekly radio program, “Profiles of Our Times.”
During the 1950’s Kendrix went to the corporate offices of Coca-Cola, in Atlanta, Georgia and pitched a proposal on how the company should market and advertise to the African-American community. Since the company was not making a good profit within the south in the African-American communities. By pitching his brilliant ideas to Coca-Cola, Kendrix was hired by the company and worked for them on a retainer. Kendrix became thee first African-American to get hold of a major corporate account.
Kendrix’s Long Living Legacy
Moss Hyles Kendrix is a pioneer not only in the field of public relations but also in the field of mass communications, but he has also left a lasting legacy on African-Americans aspiring to work in the field of public relations. During his lifetime he has created numerous amounts of public relations and advertising campaigns that advocated African-American’s to be perceptible for news media outlets, entertainers, performers and corporate clientele. Like we all know our time here on earth is short Moss Kendrix passed away in December of 1989. His legacy shall continuously inspire those with an aspiration to work in the field of public relations.
