Barbara Harris was born in Philadelphia, PA, in 1930. She attended the Charles Morris Price School of Journalism and began working for Joseph V. Baker Associates, the first African American Public Relations firm in the U.S.
During her time at Joseph V. Baker and Associates she founded the Division of Women’s Information and became the firm’s president in 1958. Harris was one of the first women of color to manage the PR for major corporate accounts, including work for RCA and Harry Belafonte.
In 1968, Harris began working for the Sun Oil Company, later becoming the director of its Community Relations department. She was also highly involved in the Civil Rights Movement and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King in 1965.
In 1984, she served as executive director of the Episcopal Church Publishing Company and as editor, publisher and columnist for The Witness, an Episcopal journal. Harris received the the American Black Achievement Award in the religion category in 1989 and 1990. She is well-known for being the first woman to serve as Bishop in the Episcopal Church and died in 2002.
Sources:
PR Pro Spotlight: Barbara Harris
BARBARA C. HARRIS (1930-2020)
PR Museum Black PR Pioneers
