The Man from Essence ─ Creating a Magazine for Black Women

In this remarkable life story, Essence magazine cofounder and philanthropist Ed Lewis tells how he rose to become one of America’s premier publishers and entrepreneurs.

Ed Lewis grew up in a South Bronx neighborhood plagued by drugs and violence. Nonetheless, his parents ingrained in him a strong determination and work ethic that served him for years to come. After graduating from high school, Lewis received a football scholarship to attend the University of New Mexico, where he was one of twelve black students on a campus of more than 8,000. It was during the height of the American civil rights movement—a defining moment for America as well as Lewis. Yet his dreams surpassed the roadblocks, and after graduating from college, he landed a job in New York City and steadily rose through the ranks in the financial industry. More than anything, it was his desire to start his own business—a uniquely black business—that drove him forward.

In 1969, Lewis made his mark on America’s magazine industry, starting Essence magazine with cofounder Clarence Smith, another young black businessman from the Bronx. Initially the magazine opened with a modest print run of 50,000 copies, but it has now grown into what The New York Times called the “pre-eminent voice for black women,” with a readership of more than 7.5 million.

The Man from Essence is more than a rags-to-riches story: It tells how the idea of the “Essence woman” permeated American culture; how all the high drama, hijinks, and challenges brought on by thirty-five years in magazine publishing were not enough to keep Lewis away from the business; and how he became one of the greatest entrepreneurs of his generation. Ultimately, it is the story of how Black men and women defied the odds, shaped history—and it proves that Lewis's success was no accident.

Edward 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.