Black History Month One-On-One: Marcia Ann Gillespie
Anchored By 1010 WINS' Larry Mullins
Produced for 1010 WINS Radio by Sharon Barnes-Waters
Black History Month honoree Marcia Ann Gillespie is a trailblazer in the magazine industry and a leader in the women's movement.
But the former Editor-In-Chief of Essence and Ms. magazines said her rise among national magazine editors was no easy page turn.
"So much of that success was really a reflection of how hungry we were to see ourselves," Gillespie told 1010 WINS' Larry Mullins.
More: Black History Month Photo Gallery | Larry's Blog: Marcia Ann Gillespie
She said as a 26-year-old black woman, the stakes were high. She recalled what one of her aunts told her when she first took over Essence.
"'You know baby, this is just a one cup of coffee magazine. You've got to make this at least last for two cups,'" Gillespie said.
And she did, making Essence one of the most powerful and influential women's magazines of our time.
"We were in a struggle and it was incumbent upon me as a black woman to be engaged in that struggle for the betterment of our people," she said.
Under Gillespie, Essence became known for its award-winning think pieces, writing about issues facing African-American women.
"Black women deserved to have a magazine they felt proud of," she said.
And this coming from a girl who was told by a counselor at her mostly white school to forget about college and apply to a secretary school.
"I got a great high school education, let me be very clear," she said. "But it was also an education about race."
Gillespie now teaches others how to follow in her successful footsteps at SUNY Old Westbury on Long Island.
"I was born and raised in Rockville Centre, so it's like going back to the roots," she said.
She's also continuing her work empowering all women when it comes to breaking through the glass ceiling.
"That you know, it is important to raise the roof but it means nothing if we don't lift the floor," she said.