Timothy Blair

[University of Missouri press release] The University of Missouri has received a $1 million gift to support journalism education and research into the connection between American journalism and the advancement of human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from Timothy Blair, an alumnus of the MU School of Journalism and a member of All Saints Parish in Beverly Hills, California.

Blair says he is giving the gift to MU — the first gift of its kind among American universities — to advance the education of students of the world’s first school of journalism on the role media have played in reinforcing stereotypes and shaping new understandings of LGBT people in American culture.

“We at the School of Journalism are deeply grateful for this gift,” said Dean Mills, dean of the MU School of Journalism. “It will support teaching and research on topics that have been historically under-covered or covered badly. Mr. Blair’s family has had a long legacy at Mizzou, and it is wonderful that Mr. Blair has chosen to continue that legacy with his generosity.”

MU is still in initial planning stages as to how the Blair Fund will be implemented. Possibilities include attracting faculty interested in LGBT journalism; supporting research and travel for media coverage of LGBT issues; creating fellowships, internships and workshops; and developing course curricula to better educate students on how media coverage shapes and reinforces social, political and legal issues across the nation and world.

Timothy Blair, a native of Joplin, Missouri, graduated from the MU School of Journalism in 1973.  Seven generations of his family are MU graduates; four generations are graduates of the School of Journalism. Blair’s grandfather, Clay Cowgill Blair, an alumnus of the MU School of Journalism, was chairman of the board of the Joplin Globe.

Blair began his career in journalism when he was 15 years old, as a copy boy at the Joplin Globe. After graduating from MU and earning a master’s degree at Washington University in St. Louis, he worked in marketing and public relations for several St. Louis-based companies.  In 1993, he moved to Los Angeles and launched BlairPR Inc.

A lifelong Episcopalian, he has been deeply involved in many activities in his church, including service as a licensed lay minister, hospital chaplain and a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern California Bishop’s Commission on LGBT Ministries.
Blair also has spent much of his life as a member of advocacy organizations to provide low and moderate-income housing to underserved minorities and gay and lesbian senior citizens.
The MU School of Journalism, founded by Walter Williams in 1908, is the world’s first and oldest journalism school.