Dr. Rev. Everett C. Parker: The Communication Industry’s Quintessential Fighter for Diversity

A person seldom accomplishes something so remarkable that its impact is indelible and felt not only by his generation, but undoubtedly, those that follow. But at 99 years old, Dr. Rev. Everett C. Parker can stake a claim in helping to develop the public interest standard in broadcast media and laying a foundation to make the nation’s communications industry more diverse and inclusive for years to come.

Early in his career, Parker pressed for broadcasters to serve the needs of the public. Over fifty years ago, he founded the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, and sought to use the organization to help fight the nation’s racial segregation. “The religious element of that time realized that we were facing something new,” said Parker, adding that establishing the Office of Communication was an endeavor he spearheaded alone. “I was the Office of Communication – there wasn’t anything else but me.” Parker blazed a trail in the 1960s by focusing the Office’s efforts on ensuring that broadcasters did not suppress the voices and images of minorities on the air and provided news coverage and programming that served their communities of license. “I was the only one that was trying to do anything that I know of,” he said. “People just didn’t think about challenging the communications entities in those days.”