Doris E. Saunders Dies at 92, Librarian, Writer, Professor

From Richard Prince's Journal-Isms
Friday, March 28, 2014

Doris E. Saunders, a librarian and former journalist at Johnson Publishing Co. who retired in 1996 as chair of the Department of Mass Communications at Jackson State University, died Monday in Jackson, Miss., of complications from dementia, her daughter, Ann Saunders, told Journal-isms. She was 92.

"Doris realized at an early age that she had a voracious appetite for literature and consumed it in its various forms with a passion," according to the draft of an obituary prepared for the funeral service, to be held Tuesday in Chicago. "Using her literary talents, she began her career in the Chicago Public Library System in 1942, later becoming its principal reference librarian in the Social Science and Business Department.

"In January of 1949 she accepted the position of Librarian with the young firm of Johnson Publishing Company (JPC), which was just moving its offices into the old Hursen Funeral Home at 18th and Michigan Avenue. Following the move, she was instrumental in the process of cataloguing company documents and materials and specialized in doing background research for JPC's editorial staff. She later became Associate Editor of Negro Digest Magazine and in 1961, Director of JPC's Book Division.

"While serving three stints in that capacity, from 1961–1966, 1973–1977, and again from 1997–2000, Doris contributed her editorial and compilation skills to numerous JPC publications including: 'The Day They Marched,' 1963; 'The Kennedy Years and the Negro,' 1964; 'The Negro Handbook.' 1966; 'The Ebony Handbook.' 1974; 'Black Society,' 1976; 'DuBois: A Pictorial Biography,' 1979; 'Wouldn't Take Nothin' for My Journey.' 1981; and 'Special Moments in African-American History: The Photographs of Moneta Sleet, Jr.,' in 1998.

"In between the periods she worked for JPC and while raising two children, Doris was employed as a columnist for the Chicago Daily Defender and Chicago Courier newspapers, 1966-1973; and she was the Director of Community Relations for Chicago State University (CSU), 1968-1970. In that capacity she was instrumental in CSU's decision to locate its campus within Chicago's black community. Doris also held the position of Staff Associate at the University of Illinois-Chicago, 1970-1973.

"In addition to her work in print media, Doris held positions in radio and television throughout the last four decades of the 20th century. In Chicago she hosted the radio show 'The Think Tank', 1971-72; she was both writer and producer of the television show, 'Our People,' 1968-70; and in Jackson MS., she produced/hosted the radio program, 'Faculty Review Forum' at station WJSU, 1987-93.

"After completing two graduate degrees at Boston University, in 1977 Doris accepted the position of Professor of Print Journalism and Mass Communications at Jackson State University, (Jackson MS). In 1991 she became chair of the Department of Mass Communications, a position she held until her retirement in 1996. During this period Doris was also a Distinguished Minority lecturer at the University of Mississippi (Oxford MS), 1986-88, and a contributing author to many professional journals and magazines. . . .

Services are scheduled Tuesday at the Church of St. Edmund, King & Martyr, 6105 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60643. Visitation is at 10 a.m. and the service at 11.