From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

Higgins, Chester A., Sr.

(born: 1917  -  died: 2000) 

Higgins was born in Chicago, IL and raised in Lexington, KY. A World War II veteran, he attended Kentucky State College [now Kentucky State University], Louisville Municipal College for Negroes, and the University of Louisville.

Higgins served as a reporter, writer, and editor for a number of publications, including the Louisville DefenderPittsburgh CourierDetroit Courier, the NAACP magazine Crisis, and Jet. In 1967, the National Newspaper Publishers awarded Higgins first place in the feature news category.

Higgins was also involved in a number of organizations, including serving as Executive Secretary of the Louisville National Negro Labor Council and as a Special Assistant to Benjamin Hooks, the first African American to become the Federal Communications Commissioner.

Higgins taught at Malcolm X College in Chicago and at Michigan State University. He was the father of Chester Higgins, Jr.

For more see L. Estrada, "Chester Higgins Sr., Jet magazine editor," Chicago Sun-Times, 5/29/2000, News section, p. 47; Kentucky HR168 (link in the upper right-hand corner of this entry); and Estrada, Louie, "Chester A. Higgins Sr." in The Washington Post, May 28, 2000 (obituary).

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Outside Kentucky Place Name

Item Relations

Cited in this Entry

NKAA Entry: Louisville Municipal College for Negroes
NKAA Source: The Louisville defender (newspaper)
NKAA Source: The Pittsburgh courier (newspaper)
NKAA Source: Detroit courier (newspaper)
NKAA Source: Crisis (periodical)
NKAA Source: Jet (periodical)
NKAA Entry: Higgins, Chester A., Jr.
NKAA Source: Chicago sun-times (newspaper)

Related Entries Citing this Entry

NKAA Entry: Higgins, Chester A., Jr.

Cite This NKAA Entry:

“Higgins, Chester A., Sr.,” Notable Kentucky African Americans Database, accessed July 26, 2024, https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/index.php/items/show/1474.

Last modified: 2022-07-20 16:04:54