Susan L. Taylor devoted a significant portion of her life and career to writing and journalism, helping to establish Essence magazine as a powerful brand in Black media. Today, the former Essence editor-in-chief uses her time and platform to give back to less fortunate Black families, among other endeavors.
Taylor was born January 23, 1946 in Harlem, New York. She was raised primarily in the borough of Queens. Before joining Essence, Taylor established the Nequai Cosmetics line, which led her to writing for Essence magazine as a beauty editor. As a young divorced single mother, Taylor struggled to make ends meet while at the magazine, but she dug in. By 1981, the magazine named her as editor-in-chief, a position she held until 2001, remaining with the magazine until 2008. (READ MORE)
