Essence magazine is the most popular, well respected, and largest circulated black women's magazine in history. Largely unknown is the remarkable story of what it took to earn that distinction. The Man from Essence depicts with candor and insight how Edward Lewis, CEO and publisher of
Essence, started a magazine with three black men who would transform the lives of millions of black American women and alter the American marketplace. Throughout
Essence's storied history, Ed Lewis remained the cool and constant presence, a quiet-talking corporate captain and business strategist who prevailed against the odds and the naysayers. He would emerge to become the last man standing--the only partner to survive the battles that raged before the magazine was sold to Time, Inc. in the largest buyout of a black-owned publication by the world's largest publishing company.
By the time Lewis did the deal with
Time, the little magazine that limped from the starting gate in 1970 with a national circulation of 50,000, had grown into a powerhouse with a readership of eight million.
The story of
Essence is ultimately the story of American business, black style. From constant battles with a racist advertising community to hostile takeover attempts, warring partners packing heat, mass firings, and mass defections--all of which revealed inherent challenges in running a black business--the saga is as riveting as any thriller.
In this engaging business memoir, Ed Lewis tells the inspiring story of how his own rise from humble South Bronx beginnings to media titan was shaped by the black women and men in his life. This in turn helped shape a magazine that has changed the face of American media.
About the AuthorEdward Lewis, propelled by the extraordinary success of
Essence magazine, has become one of the most successful and respected magazine publishers in the country. In 1969, he cofounded
Essence and later founded
Latina magazine. Mr. Lewis was honored with the Henry Johnson Fisher Lifetime Achievement Award, the Time, Inc. Henry Luce Award, and was a 2014 inductee into the Advertising Hall of Fame by the American Advertising Federation. He is the former chairman of the Magazine Publishers of America and currently serves as Senior Advisor for Solera Capital, a New York-based private equity firm.
Audrey Edwards, coauthor of
Children of the Dream: The Psychology of Black Success, is a veteran award-winning journalist and editor. She has served as executive editor and editor at
Essence magazine. She has held the executive editor position at
Black Enterprise magazine and senior editor positions at
Family Circle and
More magazines. In addition, she has written for numerous magazines, including the
New York Times Sunday Magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Seventeen, and the
Columbia Journalism Review. She has also written for the online publications TheRoot.com and Salon.com.
Camille Cosby is a producer and educator. She coproduced the Tony Award-nominated
Having Our Say, which won a 1999 Peabody Award for television, and has also served as executive producer of numerous film projects.
