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An article
by Frances Ward-Johnson, an associate professor in the School of
Communications, appears in the August issue of Public Relations
Tactics.
Ward-Johnson's
study, titled "Reflections on Public Relations from African American
Women Practitioners," focuses on four African American women PR
managers' careers, explaining the racial and gender issues they
have faced.
In her article,
Ward-Johnson points out that more than 30 years after the Kerner
Commission Report recommended that the media hire more people of
color, racial and ethnic groups remain underrepresented in the media
and public relations.
She says there
is little research on factors influencing minorities to choose to
work in public relations, specifically African American women, who
are a large part of PR minority groups.
Before entering
academia, Ward-Johnson spent more than 12 years in the communications
industry, including working as manager of public relations for the
international Center for Creative Leadership. She is currently working
on a report that examines the differences in perceptions of female
African American students and public relations practitioners about
PR careers.
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