Political Quotes

“last week, Chicago lost a giant in media when Ken Smikle passed away at the too young age of 66. For over 40 years, Ken redefined coverage of the Black American experience and brought to light the economic potential of Black communities in the United States. It is hard to believe that an audience with $1.2 trillion in buying power in 2017 did not have a publication geared toward understanding the African-American market 30 years ago, but that was the reality before Ken founded Target Media News in 1987. Ken saw the potential there throughout his career. Hailing from Harlem, NY,--in 1974, Ken, his brother, Dawoud Bey, and friend, Gerald Gladney started a business that published two magazines. They did this with no financial backing besides savings from various jobs. Ken wrote for several publications, including Essence Magazine and the National Leader Magazine. He went on to serve as the arts editor for Harlem's Amsterdam News, the Black music editor at Record World Magazine, and the editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer. In 1983, Ken's life had a revolution. He became the senior editor at Black Enterprise magazine. Ken also met the love of his life, Renee Ferguson, who was among the first female African-American women to work at CBS Network News in New York. Both of them were dedicated to telling the untold story of African Americans.…”