Edward Lewis

Edward Lewis

Keynote Speaker: Co-Founder of Essence Magazine & One of the Most Successful Publishers in the Country

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Edward Lewis Biography

Mr. Lewis co-founded Essence Communications Inc. in 1970, one of the country’s largest African American multi-media organizations. Essence was acquired by Time, Inc. in 2005. Mr. Lewis is also a co-founder of Latina, the first lifestyle magazine that exclusively addressed the interests of U.S. Hispanic women. During his 35 years as Chairman, CEO and Publisher, he nurtured Essence into a media powerhouse, addressing the needs of black women. This brand included the Essence Awards, a TV show celebrating the contributions of African Americans and the Essence Music Festival, a four day event held in New Orleans during the Fourth of July, which attracts over 400,000 attendees annually. He also radically changed the perception of Madison Avenue regarding black women and awakened corporate America to their achievements and massive multi-billion dollar purchasing power. Mr. Lewis took this success and applied it to his next venture, Latina Magazine. He has served as Chairman since 2008. As a mentor for a younger generation that shares his desire to create opportunities supporting the needs of entire communities, he has spoken on entrepreneurship at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Yale, Columbia University, Howard and Tuskegee, as well as, at major companies such as Merrill Lynch, J.C. Penny, Kraft and Kellogg. A major supporter and advocate of civic responsibility, Mr. Lewis serves on the boards of the New York Academy of Medicine, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Apollo Theatre Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of America and is the former Chairman of the Harlem Village Academy – a charter school serving the needs of African American and Latino children. In 1997, he became the first African American Chairman of the Magazine Publishers of America. Previously, he served on the boards of Columbia Teacher’s College, Spelman College and Tuskegee University. President Barack Obama asked him to serve on the Board of Advisors for the Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. His political activism led to his appointment on the New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s, as well as Mayor Bill de Blasio’s, Transition Committee. Edward Lewis is currently Senior Advisor to Solera Capital. He received a Bachelor and Master of Arts from the University of New Mexico where he later was awarded an honorary Doctorate. A recipient of the Henry Johnson Fisher Award, considered the “Oscar” in publishing, he went on to receive the Henry Luce Award from Time, Inc. In 2014, Mr. Lewis was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame and received the inaugural IPPIES Lifetime Achievement Award from City University of New York’s Journalism School’s Center for Community and Ethnic Media.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Edward Lewis and other top speakers and celebrities.

Edward Lewis Videos

Arise Xchange: Ed Lewis, Founder of Essence Magazine - YouTube
The Network Journal talks with Edward Lewis, co-founder of ...

How do I book Edward Lewis to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Edward Lewis for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Edward Lewis, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Edward Lewis or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Edward Lewis for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Edward Lewis, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is Below $10,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Edward Lewis, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Edward Lewis speak about?

Edward Lewis is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Diversity & Inclusion, Black Heritage, Black History Month and Authors.

Who is the agent for Edward Lewis?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Edward Lewis for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Edward Lewis for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Edward Lewis or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Edward Lewis is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Diversity & Inclusion, Black Heritage and Black History Month. The estimated speaking fee range to book Edward Lewis for live events is Below $10,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Edward Lewis can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Trevor Noah, Roland Martin and Shelby Steele. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Edward Lewis for an upcoming event.

Edward Lewis Videos

Arise Xchange: Ed Lewis, Founder of Essence Magazine - YouTube
The Network Journal talks with Edward Lewis, co-founder of ...

Edward Lewis News

  • Edward Lewis speaks Wednesday, May 13

    The Anderson School of Management presents prominent UNM alumnus Edward Lewis as the featured speaker of the McKinnon Distinguished CEO Lecture Series. Lewis is a co-founder of Essence Communications, one of the country’s largest African American multi-media organizations.

  • Edward Lewis and the Creation of ‘Essence’

    “I was the quiet one,” is repeated like a mantra throughout “The Man from Essence.” This is how Edward Lewis describes himself in a quartet of Black men who founded Essence magazine in the early 1970s.

  • ESSENCE Co-Founder Ed Lewis Talks Growing the ESSENCE Brand

    ESSENCE magazine co-founder Ed Lewis tallks to Advertising Age about how ESSENCE became the leading brand for black women today.

  • How do I book Edward Lewis to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Edward Lewis for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Edward Lewis, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Edward Lewis or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Edward Lewis for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Edward Lewis, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is Below $10,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Edward Lewis, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Edward Lewis speak about?

    Edward Lewis is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Diversity & Inclusion, Black Heritage, Black History Month and Authors.
  • Who is the agent for Edward Lewis?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Edward Lewis for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Edward Lewis for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Edward Lewis or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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