The first African-American female to serve as a spokesperson in the White House, who taught at Eastern for 10 years, died on Sept. 26.

Annette Samuels, 76, served as a spokeswoman during President Jimmy Carter’s administration, and she was the first fashion editor for Essence Magazine. She also served as press secretary for Marion Barry, the former mayor of Washington, D.C.

Samuels taught at Eastern from 1996 to 2006. Some of the courses she taught included Journalism and Democracy, Public Relations in Society, Minorities and the Media and Women in the Media.

James Tidwell, the chair of the journalism department, said Samuels’ students enjoyed having a professor with many practical experiences in politics, public relations, magazines and more.

“Students admired her, and when she spoke, they listened because of her real life experience,” Tidwell said. “She knew what she was talking about because she lived it.”

Leslie Hyder, a professor of journalism, said he found Samuels to be articulate in expressing her opinions, thoughts and perceptions while also being sensitive to the concerns of others.

“Annette was a fountain of knowledge and wisdom from many years of work in the field of journalism and political oppositions,” Hyder said. “Her knowledge of the political process was unequaled, and she continued to follow politics until the end of her life.”

Tidwell said it was great to the listen to stories she would tell about the famous people she knew and interacted with. She brought a lot of additional discussion and experience to not only the classroom but to university events such as panel discussions, Tidwell said.

“Anytime you wanted to talk politics and have some insight, she was the person to go to,” Tidwell said. “She was able to add a layer of expertise to the discourse on politics and civil rights.”

Tidwell said Samuels had unique experiences facing media scrutiny with having to explain certain situations to the world like the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979 and the Marion Barry’s scandal in 1990 when he was caught on video smoking crack cocaine.

Hyder said Samuels was always tolerant and understanding.

“Her personality always reflected her calm nature,” Hyder said. “I never saw her upset or angry, and she just rode with the punches.”

Samuels earned her master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University in 1989.

“She was also the first to recognize the potential of certain political stars like Barack Obama and Rahm Emanuel,” Hyder said. “In many ways, she was one of the people who influenced them.”

Tidwell said Samuels was a pioneer on both a race and a gender standpoint.

“She was a trailblazer in many ways being a black woman in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s,” Tidwell said. “She was such a dynamic person and had so much knowledge and unbelievable experiences.”

Samuels spent two years as the executive director of the Commission for Women in Washington, D.C., and was also named a Woman of Achievement by the Women’s Studies Program at Eastern.

“She enriched and enhanced the faculty in all ways that we are good,” Hyder said. “It was our great fortune of having her among us, and we miss her.”

Rachel Rodgers can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].