History of Public Relations Key Events in PR History

History Amos Kendall served as the first presidential press secretary and was a member of Andrew Jackson’s “kitchen cabinet” in the 1820s. The first presidential campaign slogan emerged in Whig candidate William Henry Harrison, who had been a military hero from the Battle of Tippecanoe, and running mate John Tyler ran under the banner of “Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too.”

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In 1848 Elizabeth Cady Stanton issued the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments at the landmark women’s rights conference.

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In 1850, P.T. Barnum brought Swedish soprano Jenny Lind to the United States and used celebrity promotions and product endorsements to generate publicity for her tour with his circus.

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During the 1850s American railroads used publicity, advertising and printed materials to attract tourists and settlers to the American West. The Canadian Pacific Railroad built hotels/resorts along its transcontinental path to increase business.

History In 1874, a national touring network of entertainment, educational and spiritual presentations brought messages to mass audiences. In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge opened, and P.T. Barnum led a parade of elephants across the bridge to demonstrate its strength.

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In 1886, New York City began paying tribute to heroes and dignitaries with a Ticker-Tape Parade.

History In 1897, the Association of American Railroads used the term public relations in a company listing.

History In 1889 Westinghouse established the first corporate public relations department, a year after Mutual Life created a “species of literary bureau” to create advertising and publicity. Westinghouse engaged in a public “battle of the current” with Thomas Edison and the General Electric Company, promoting the benefits of alternating (AC) versus the direct current (DC).

History During his quest for the presidency, William McKinley organized a “Front Porch Campaign” to bring supporters to his Ohio home. His advisors introduced aggressive fund-raising strategies, urging him to outspend his opponent, William Jennings Bryan, McKinley also was the first candidate to use the telephone for campaign purposes.

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