Inez Y. Kaiser facts for kids

Inez Yeargan Kaiser (born April 22, 1918 – died July 31, 2016) was an amazing American woman. She was a teacher, a public relations expert, and a business owner. She made history as the first African-American woman to own a public relations company that worked with big companies all over the country.

Early Life and Learning

Inez Kaiser was born in Kansas City, Kansas. She grew up during a time when many African Americans, especially in the South, faced challenges getting a good education. But Inez was very determined to learn. Her father always told her, "No one can take away what's in your head." This meant that knowledge is a powerful thing that stays with you forever.

Inez worked hard in school. She earned her first college degree, a bachelor's degree, in education from Pittsburg State University in 1941. Later, she earned a master's degree from Columbia University. She also studied at other universities like Chicago University, Rockhurst University, and Dartmouth College. Inez also took special classes to learn about radio, TV, and fashion.

Her Career

Inez Kaiser started her career as a teacher. For more than 20 years, she taught home economics in public schools. This subject teaches students important life skills for managing a home.

In 1957, Inez decided to start her own business called Inez Kaiser & Associates. This was a very important step! It was the first public relations company ever started by an African-American woman. It was also the first business owned by an African American to open in Kansas City.

By the early 1960s, her company was doing very well. She got big clients like 7 Up, a popular drink company. This made her the first African-American woman to run a public relations firm with clients from all over the country.

Inez also broke barriers in business groups. She was the first African-American woman to join the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. She also joined the Public Relations Society of America, which is a big group for people who work in public relations.

Writing and Books

Inez Kaiser loved to write. She started writing a newspaper column called "Fashion Wise and Otherwise" just for fun. But she soon realized she could use her writing to help other African-American women.

She spent years reaching out to publishers across the country. She wanted them to use pictures of models of color in their magazines and ads. This helped create new job opportunities for these models in places where they had never been considered before. Inez also wrote a column in The Kansas City Star newspaper called "As I See It."

Besides her columns, Inez also wrote a cookbook. It was called Soul Food Cookery and was published in 1960.

Political Involvement

Inez Kaiser was a lifelong member of the Republican Party. She used her skills to advise important leaders. She gave advice to the Nixon and Ford administrations. These were the governments led by Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Inez helped them understand issues important to minority women and businesses. Even though she was a Republican, her son shared that she voted for Barack Obama.