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Essence, the fashion and lifestyle bible for today's black woman, just named Constance C.R. White (pictured) as their new editor-in-chief.
White was hired just four months after the magazine's powers-that-be allegedly gave their former chief the old heave-ho amid much controversy surrounding a hire.
White, whose editorial background spans top fashion spots at magazines such as Elle and Talk is, taking the reins from Sheryl Tucker, who was asked to temporarily hold-down the decision-making position after Angela Burt-Murray resigned as editor-in-chief of the magazine.
Last August, Essence met with a heap of backlash from angry readers, when Burt-Murray hired and placed Ellianna Placas, a white woman, at the helm of the fashion department at the magazine.
Readers were infuriated, and many fired back via Facebook at Burt-Murray's decision, which was referred to as "mindless," "insensitive" and "politically incorrect." At the time, Burt-Murray dealt with the backfire and stood by her decision.
There were whispers, though, that the powers that be were not happy about Burt-Murray's media trial-by-fire. As a matter of fact, the loudest voice leading the pack of discontented dissenters was Michaela Angela Davis, the former editor-in-chief of Honey magazine, who took to public forums like Facebook to vehemently criticize Burt-Murray.
Burt-Murray alerted her staff in early November of her plans to move to Atlanta with her family. Yet, according to insider reports, she had actually laid the foundation for her resignation back in July, when tempers began to boil surrounding her hire.
Essence has also rehired former editor-in-chief Marcia Ann Gillespie as Special Projects Director. Gillespie, who is considered to be an industry trailblazer and a leader in the women's movement, was at the helm of the magazine for 11 years, from 1971 to 1980. She is credited for transforming the then-fledging magazine into a force to be reckoned with at the time. Gillespie will reportedly assist White with growing the Essence brand globally.
Comments: (9)
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By: Charles on 3/04/2011 5:03PM
You racist trolls just don't stop do you.
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By: cole on 3/08/2011 3:47PM
Congratulations to Ms. Constance. Although Essence Magazine is now White owned, (they sold it a few years ago) it still gets my attention.
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By: eric darnell on 3/05/2011 6:01PM
Hi, that TRICK (Burt-Murray) was right to leave with her tail between her legs! How on earth could she imagine a white woman should could relate to black style and beauty? It has been document over and over that whites believe only light skin is beautiful. Essence was concieved to be the antithesis of that notion.
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By: The Cynic on 3/05/2011 2:36PM
Well I'm a Black male and I thing her hair is beautiful. I wish more Blk women would wear their hair naturally like that. Why do you folks even waste your time coming on a site like this? I don't understand how racism can consume someone, so much they feel the need to routinely troll sites geared toward Blk ppl
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By: Pink on 3/05/2011 2:53PM
I'm glad they removed the white women as the Editor-in-Chief. It made absolutely no sense 2 have a white woman head a historically black magazine. Beyond that at this point in the game unfortunately it doesn't really make any difference who's at the top. All forms of print,i.e., magazines, newspapers, etc. r suffering from sales bc in general people just don't read paper print that much anymore. It's sad but true. The net is progress; but it has also ruined lots of things.
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By: AllBahianGirl on 3/08/2011 11:25AM
Angela Burt Murray a sista was the Editor-in-Chief of Essence magazine. Ms.Murray made the stupid mistake of placing a white woman at the helm of fashion department against the outrage of Black female readers who felt a Black woman should have been given the position. I have to throw my hat in with the sistas on this one because Essence magazine is a magazine that caters to US and I felt a sista should have been given the position at the helm of the fashion department. After all magazines that cater to a predominantly white demographic wouldn't be stupid enough to put a BLACK woman in such a choice position of their staff. Why do we as Black people always feel the burden of integration to be on us? We're the group of people with the highest unemployment rate in the nation and I feel that we should do more to hire each other for choice positions when we're in a position to do so. Angela Burt Murray is getting now what she deserves because since leaving Essence magazine she's been unsuccessful in finding another job. I don't know if the white woman she hired at Essence magazine is still there but Ms.Murray's butt is in the unemployment line along with the masses of other Blacks in this country. Let's see if some of her good white folk she love so much will hook her up with a position as Editor-in-Chief of one of THEIR magazines. Ha!Ha!Ha!
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By: AllBahianGirl on 3/08/2011 12:06PM
@Eric - Angela Burt Murray is now reaping what she has sown because ever since she left Essence magazine as Editor-In-Chief she's been unsuccessful in locating a job anywhere else. That's why I feel when we as Black people are in a position to uplift and employ one another we should do. Let white people take care of themselves like they've been doing in this country. Blacks have the highest rate of unemployment in the country and now Ms.Murray is amongst them in the unemployment line while the white woman she hired as the helm of the fashion department is still employed at Essence. Karma is a beyotch!!! Let's see if a white magazine will hire Ms.Murray as Editor-in-Chief of THEIR magazine.
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By: cole on 3/08/2011 7:29PM
Essence is a "white owned" magazine. They bought it a few years ago. Our pictures may be on the covers but it is not run by us......and that means we ultimately can't make big decisions like to hire.
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By: Ervin Whitaker on 6/06/2011 6:01PM
I really apprecitate Constance C.R. White wearing her natural hair and not being ashamed of it! Why is there a seemly depiction of Black women as more sensually protrayed, even when they are Christian, rather than from a moral and modest perspectove!! Is there still a conditional effect on us? Is there a subliminal conditioning thru media, tv, picture images: eg. dark-skinned is bad and light-skinned good! Is desiring long straight hair a conditional effect, especially when the mass want it?
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