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''Essence'' is a monthly lifestyle
magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
covering
fashion Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fash ...
, beauty, entertainment, and culture. First published in 1970, the magazine is written for
African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
women.


History

Edward Lewis, Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth and Jonathan Blount founded Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) in 1968. It began publishing ''Essence'' magazine in May 1970. Lewis and Smith called the publication a "lifestyle magazine directed at upscale African American women". They recognized that Black women were an overlooked demographic and saw ''Essence'' as an opportunity to capitalize on a virtually untouched market of Black women readers. Its initial circulation was approximately 50,000 copies per month, subsequently growing to roughly 1.6 million.Bynoe, Yvonne. ''Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip-hop Culture''. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2006, p. 263, . Gordon Parks served as its editorial director during the first three years of its circulation. In 2000, Time Inc. purchased 49 percent of Essence Communications Inc. In 2005, Time Inc. made a deal with Essence Communications Inc. to purchase the remaining 51 percent. The deal placed the ownership of the 34-year-old ''Essence'' magazine, one of the United States' leading magazines for women of color, under widespread ownership, rather than black ownership.Carr, David. ''The New York Times'', 2005. In January 2018, the magazine returned to a fully black-owned publication after its acquisition by Richelieu Dennis, the founder of Sundial Brands. In 2020, Black Female Anonymous, a group made up of former and possibly current Essence employees, published a Medium article alleging sexual harassment claims against Dennis, as well as egregious claims of bullying and mistreatment of employees by members of the C-Suite. Following the Medium post, an investigation was launched into the claims. As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, Essence furloughed staff in 2020 after receiving a PPP loan from the government.


Contents

In "Black Womanhood: ''Essence'' and its Treatment of Stereotypical Images of Black Women," professors stated that diverse images of Black women are not often included in white magazines and media but that those Black women can see themselves in different lights in ''Essence''. The magazine features sections called Celebrity, Fashion, Beauty, Hair, Love, and Point-of-View."Essence"
Essence.com.
The magazine has covered topics from family, to social issues in the African-American community, African-American women in the military, and being HIV positive. Celebrities including Michelle Obama and the late
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...
have appeared on the cover and been featured in the magazine through interviews and photo spreads. Originally launched primarily as a fashion magazine, ''Essence'' has grown to be a guideline for African-American women in many aspects of life. Frequent contributors, including current editor-in-chief Vanessa K. De Luca, provide advice for the business-minded black woman.


Format

The online version of the magazine opens with large images that also display links to main articles. Scrolling farther the down, viewers of the site will find "Top Stories", "Hot Right Now", and other sections. There are tabs to the various categories of the publication's material, including "Celebrity," "Fashion," "Beauty," "Hair," "Love," "Lifestyle," "News", and "Videos". Several spots on the website provide links to the magazine's social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Google Plus. The bottom of the page presents a "From the Mag" section that features content from the magazine.


Imagery in advertisements

''Essence'' issues in the early 2000s featured mostly black woman models with lighter skin complexions. The magazine then began to include a greater number of models with darker skin complexions. In terms of hair types, long and wavy hairstyles were almost equally represented as short and curly styles. The sizes of the noses and lips of most of the models were considered average. The bodies of the models were not often displayed. When they were, thinner and average body types were more likely to be shown than fuller body types. These observations rose out of a study titled "Race and Gender in the Media: A Content Analysis of Advertisements in Two Mainstream Black Magazines." They were then used to comment on what the image practices of ''Essence'' may say about how black media represents black people, chiefly black women, and how these representations may reflect and reveal larger truths about how black people themselves.


Circulation

* Rate base: 1,600,000 * Subscriptions: 78% * Single-copy sales: 22%


Essence Music Festival

The
Essence Music Festival The Essence Festival, known as "the party with a purpose", is an annual music festival which started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''Essence'', a magazine aimed primarily towards African-American women. It becam ...
is the nation's largest annual gathering of African-American musical talent, and has been going on annually since 1994 in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
, bringing more than 400,000 people. The festival is a three-day event, that includes cultural celebrations, empowerment seminars, and nights of musical performances. Awards honoring prominent musicians in the African-American community are celebrated during the festival as well. The festival is held every Fourth of July weekend, and has featured some of the biggest names in music, including
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...
, Beyoncé,
Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman. LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul". She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
, Mary J. Blige,
Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recor ...
and others. In 2007, presidential candidates
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
and
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
made special appearances at The Essence Music Festival, and in 2009 the festival was held in honor of Barack Obama's inauguration and presidency, with Beyoncé as the headliner. In 2008, after partnering with ''Essence'' to develop and tape a co-branded special presentation ''Black in America: Reclaiming the Dream'', CNN reported live on-site throughout the Music Festival weekend. In 2013, the Essence Music Festival rebranded to the Essence Festival to showcase the event as more than a music festival. In 2016, the first ever associate event to the Essence Festival was announced – Essence Festival Durban – set to take place in
Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
, South Africa on November 8–13. Essence President Michelle Ebanks commented at the time, "This is a milestone year for the Essence brand as we get ready to bring one of our most beloved events to the heart of South Africa in the coastal city of Durban which represents an exciting mix of cultures. This inaugural Essence Festival Durban will bring together voices of influence and power from the continent of Africa, the U.S. and across the globe to connect communities and empower women spanning the diaspora." * 2017


Activism

In January 2005 ''Essence'' launched a 12-month initiative to combat misogyny in hip-hop culture. The campaign, titled "Take Back the Music", was intended to inspire public dialogue about the portrayal of black women in rap music. ''Essence'' also holds a Young Women's Leadership Conference, and released a book in 2009 titled ''Essence Presents: The Black Woman's Guide to Healthy Living''.Dumenco, Simon. ''Advertising Age'', 2008.


Awards


Awards run by ''Essence''


Black Women In Hollywood Awards

This long-running award event, held each February on the Thursday before the Oscars, began in 2008 and continues to this day. and his ceremony annually honors black women who have achieved success in Hollywood. In the event's first decade, awards were presented in several categories. Beginning in 2017, the event had a single theme and individuals were honored, with no specific award titles.


= 2008

= * Power Award:
Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith (; née Pinkett; born September 18, 1971) is an American actress and talk show host. She is co-host of the Facebook Watch talk show '' Red Table Talk'', for which she has received a Daytime Emmy Award. ''Time'' name ...


= 2009

= * Legend Award:
Diahann Carroll Diahann Carroll (; born Carol Diann Johnson; July 17, 1935 – October 4, 2019) was an American actress, singer, model, and activist. She rose to prominence in some of the earliest major film studio, major studio films to feature black cas ...
* Power Award: Halle Berry * Star to Watch Award:
Taraji P. Henson Taraji Penda Henson ( ; born September 11, 1970) is an American actress. She studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career in guest roles on several television shows before making her breakthrough in '' Baby Boy'' (2001). Sh ...
* Visionary Award: Gina Prince-Bythewood


= 2010

= * Breakthrough Performance Award: Gabourey Sidibe * Legend Award: Cicely Tyson * Power Award:
Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
* Songstress of the Year: Mary J. Blige * Star to Watch Award: Zoe Saldana


= 2011

= * Viola Davis * Loretta Devine *
Angela Bassett Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the biopic '' What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the Academy Award ...
* Jennifer Hudson


= 2012

= * Breakthrough Performance Award: Octavia Spencer * Legend Award: Pam Grier * Shining Star Award: Paula Patton * Vanguard Award:
Kerry Washington Kerry Marisa Washington (born January 31, 1977) SidebarCertificate of Live Birth: Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha(County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health). Gives Kerry Washington birth dateArchivedfrom the original on May 2, 2016.Note: Fi ...
* Visionary Award:
Shonda Rimes Shonda Lynn Rhimes (born January 13, 1970) is an American television screenwriter, producer, and author. She is best known as the showrunner—creator, head writer, and executive producer—of the television medical drama '' Grey's Anatomy'', ...


= 2013

= * Breakthrough Performance Award: Quvenzhané Wallis * Power Award:
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', b ...
* Shining Star Award: Naomie Harris *
Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard (; born November 8, 1952) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including four Primetime Emmy Awards (tying the record for the most acting Emmys won by an African-American performer, along with Regina King), ...


= 2014

= * Breakthrough Performance Award: Lupita Nyong'o * Trailblazer Award:
Cheryl Boone Isaacs Cheryl Boone Isaacs (born 1949) is an American film marketing and public relations executive. She represented the Public Relations Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), known for its annual Academy Awards (Oscars), on ...
* Visionary Award: Ava DuVernay


= 2015

= * Breakthrough Performance Award: Gugu Mbatha-Raw * Fierce and Fearless Award:
Regina King Regina Rene King (born January 15, 1971) is an American actress and director. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2019, '' Time'' magazine named her o ...
* Visionary Award: Ruth E. Carter


= 2016

= * Fierce and Fearless Award: Tracee Ellis Ross * Power Award:
Nina Shaw Nina Shaw is an American talent attorney whose clients include Jamie Foxx and Nick Cannon. She is a partner at Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein and Lezcano Law Firm. Women in Film gave her the Crystal Award in 2005 for her work in entertainm ...
* Legend Award:
Debbie Allen Deborah Kaye Allen (born January 16, 1950) is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, director, producer, and a former member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She has been nominated 20 times for an ...


= 2018

= * Honorees: Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe, Danai Gurira,
Tessa Thompson Tessa Lynne Thompson (born October 3, 1983) is an American actress. She began her professional acting career with the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica College. She appeared in productions of '' The Tempes ...


= 2019

= * Theme: The Power of our Presence: Art and Activism * Honorees: Amandla Steinberg, Jenifer Lewis,
KiKi Layne Kiandra "KiKi" Layne (born December 10, 1991) is an American actress. She is best known for her starring roles in such films as the romantic drama ''If Beale Street Could Talk'' (2018), the drama ''Native Son'' (2019), the action superhero film ...
, Regina Hall


= 2020

= * Honorees: Niecy Nash,
Melina Matsoukas Melina Matsoukas (born January 14, 1981) is an American music video, film, commercial and television director. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and four-time MTV Video Music Awards winner for her " We Found Love" and "Formation" music video ...
, Lashana Lynch, and the cast of ''Pose'', along with its executive producer Janet Mock


''Essence'' Literary Awards

The first and only ''Essence'' Literary Awards ceremony was held in New York City on February 7, 2008, to celebrate both emerging and established African-American authors in nine categories: Fiction, Memoir, Inspiration, Non-fiction, Current Affairs, Photography, Children's Books, Poetry and Storyteller of the Year. The honorees were as follows: * Children's Books: ''Marvelous World'' by Troy Cle/Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing * Current Affairs: ''An Unbroken Agony'' by Randall Robinson/ Basic Civitas * Fiction: ''The Pirate's Daughter'' by
Margaret Cezair-Thompson Margaret Cezair-Thompson is a Jamaicans, Jamaican writer. Author of novels ''The True History of Paradise'' and ''The Pirate's Daughter'', short stories, articles, and a screenplay about a female Jamaican athlete, ''Photo Finish'', purchased by ...
/Unbridled Books * Inspiration: ''Quiet Strength'' by Tony Dungy/Tyndale * Lifetime Achievement: Terry McMillan * Memoir: ''Brother, I'm Dying'' by Edwidge Danticat/Knopf * Non-fiction: ''Supreme Discomfort'' by Michael Fletcher and
Kevin Merida Kevin Merida (born January 17, 1957) is an American journalist, author and newspaper editor. He currently serves as executive editor at the Los Angeles Times, where he oversees and coordinates all news gathering operations, including city and nat ...
/Doubleday * Poetry: ''Duende'' by
Tracy K. Smith Tracy K. Smith (born April 16, 1972) is an American poet and educator. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019. She has published four collections of poetry, winning the Pulitzer Prize for her 2011 volume ''Life ...
/Graywolf Press * Photography: ''Daufuskie Island'' by
Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe (born July 9, 1951) is an American photographer and activist. She is best known for her work in magazines, newspapers, and several photography books, and also as an AIDS activist. Early life and education Moutoussamy-Ash ...
/University of South Carolina Press * President's Award: ''Reposition Yourself'' by
T.D. Jakes Thomas Dexter Jakes (born June 9, 1957), known as T. D. Jakes, is an American bishop, author and filmmaker. He is the bishop of The Potter's House, a non-denominational American megachurch. Jakes's church services and Evangelistic sermons are b ...
/Atria * Storyteller of the Year: L.A. Banks * Save Our Libraries: Countee Cullen Regional Library in Harlem


Awards received by ''Essence''

* 1970:
National Magazine Award The National Magazine Awards, also known as the Ellie Awards, honor print and digital publications that consistently demonstrate superior execution of editorial objectives, innovative techniques, noteworthy enterprise and imaginative design. Or ...
for Fiction for Hortense Spillers' "Isom" * 2008: AdAge American Magazine Vanguard Award for "magazines that are innovating smartly beyond print." * 2008: 12 New York Association of Black Journalists awards in the Investigative, General Feature, International, Business/Technology, Science/Health, Arts and Entertainment, Personal Commentary, Public Affairs and Online categories. * NABJ Magazine Specialty Award – This award was received for their two part series "The Story of AIDS in Black America" * NABJ Magazine Award for Business – This award was received for their Essence Home Ownership Campaign. * 2010: NABJ Award for Investigative writing for Angela Burt-Murray, Jeannine Amber, Rosemarie Robotham's "Lost Girl"; Single Topic Series for "Realizing the Dream"


Controversy

The 2005 purchase of Essence Communications Inc. marked the first time an African-American magazine would be owned by a white man, sparking controversy because of the company's 34 years under African-American ownership. In 2011, the magazine engaged with controversy when the editor-in-chief, Constance C. R. White, announced that the magazine's new managing editor was a white male by the name of Michael Bullerdick. White assured readers that Bullerdick had no control over the content of the magazine and was only to oversee the day-to-day operations of the magazine. In April 2012, Bullerdick parted ways with the magazine after politically conservative views that ran counter to what Essence has historically stood for were discovered on his private Facebook page. In July 2020, controversy rose again when anonymous magazine staffers alleged mistreatment and abuse under the leadership of Richelieu Dennis. In a post called "Black Female Anonymous" on Medium, it is alleged that senior staffers subjected Black female employees to sexual harassment, pay inequity and bullying. Dennis subsequently stepped down and named Caroline Wanga as interim CEO.


Editors

* Ida Lewis (1970–1971) * Ruth Ross (1975) *
Marcia Ann Gillespie Marcia Ann Gillespie (born 10 July 1944) is an African-American magazine editor, writer, professor, media and management consultant, and racial and gender justice activist. She previously served as editor-in-chief of ''Essence'' magazine and '' ...
(1971–1980) * Susan L. Taylor (1981–2000) * Monique Greenwood (2000) * Diane Weathers (2000–2005) * Angela Burt-Murray (2005–2010) * Sheryl Hilliard Tucker (2010-2011) * Constance C. R. White (2011–2013) * Vanessa K. De Luca (2013–2018) * Danielle Cadet (2022 - present)


References


Further reading

*


External links

* * {{Authority control African-American magazines Lifestyle magazines published in the United States Monthly magazines published in the United States Women's magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1970 Magazines published in New York City Women's fashion magazines Black-owned companies of the United States