I write about the history of Black men and women in the advertising industry.

Welcome to the website for:

Jason P. Chambers

advertising revolutionary

Tom Burrell transformed the image of African Americans in advertising.

Over a forty-year career, Chicagoan Tom Burrell and the Burrell Communications Group changed the face of advertising. They revolutionized the industry’s approach to African Americans as human beings and consumers.

In this authorized biography, I present readers with a “compelling” and “soulful” portrait of the groundbreaking creator, entrepreneur and son of Chicago’s famed South Side.

Readers on Advertising Revolutionary...

“OMG! Jason’s book educated me about Tom and his agency on things that I didn’t even know, and I worked there. However, there’s one thing I needed no education about: if not for Tom and Burrell Communications, I wouldn’t exist in the ad industry and neither would my company. Half of everything I learned about advertising, I learned from my time working at Burrell, and Jason’s book brought it all back to life in full, living, soulful color!” --Jimmy Smith, Chairman, CEO, and CCO of Amusement Park Entertainment

“Jason P. Chambers’s thoughtful and thorough biography of Tom Burrell makes an important contribution to African American business history.”

"It is a bold and illuminating exploration. . . Chambers has not only written a biography but has also painted a portrait of an era, a movement, and a continued struggle for equity and representation in the commercial world. This book is an essential read for anyone interested in the intersections of media, culture, and social justice, providing a comprehensive and engaging look at a true pioneer whose work continues to influence the advertising industry today."

"Chambers's extensive interviews with his subject illuminate how a corporate trailblazer navigated the changing mores of the post-civil rights era. Business historians and advertising professionals will want to take a look. "

About Me

I write about the history of Black men and women in the advertising industry and broader media field. Focusing on their role as entrepreneurs and leaders, my work strives to recognize the African American contributions to the advertising industry. My goal is to ensure that their historical efforts to change and diversify the industry aren’t overlooked.

I am also a Professor in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I have been recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on the history of advertising and the African American consumer market.

I earned my Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. I have presented my research into the story of African Americans in advertising both nationally and internationally.

I have been invited to speak to gatherings of practitioners and academics throughout the United States, Canada, and Asia. I have also appeared on The History Channel discussing advertising history.

My opinions have been sought by various media sources including Advertising Age, Adweek, Black Enterprise, CNN, Forbes, The Guardian, National Public Radio, The New York Times, Newsweek, and the Washington Post.

I have also consulted on advertising history programs appearing on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). In addition, I have consulted with national non-profit organizations, Fortune 100 companies, and advertising agencies on matters of African American history, diversity, stereotyping and various consumer issues.

MY OTHER BOOKS

Building the Black Metropolis: African American Entrepreneurship in Chicago

From Jean Baptiste Point DuSable to Oprah Winfrey, black entrepreneurship has helped define Chicago. Robert E. Weems Jr. and Jason P. Chambers curate a collection of essays that place the city as the center of the black business world in the United States

Madison Avenue and the Color Line: African Americans in the Advertising Industry

Until now, most works on the history of African Americans in advertising have focused on the depiction of blacks in advertisements. As the first comprehensive examination of African American participation in the industry, this book breaks new ground by examining the history of black advertising employees and agency owners.

Contact Me

Media Inquires:

For media inquiries, interview, or research requests Email: jason@jasonpchambers.com

Keynote Inquiries

For inquires regarding keynote presentations or speeches: Washington Speakers Bureau