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Receiving the Ten Outstanding Young Americans award in 1993 with the other recipients.

Holding the TOYA statue after the awards ceremony

About the TOYA

In 1993, Regina L. Burns was honored with the prestigious Ten Outstanding Young Americans award, given by the U.S. Junior Chamber (Jaycees).

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Check out the Gutenberg entry in ACU's AnswerBook.

Bio of
Regina L. Burns, M.A., M.A.

Winer of Abilene Christian University's Gutenberg Award in 1993, Regina L. Burns made history as the first woman and the frist African American recipient. Photo dated October 2022.

Regina L. Burns is a Dallas, Texas-based rising historian and award-winning multimedia journalist at Harvest Reapers Communications. She specializes in 20th century Texas African American Business History, specifically Tyler Barber College Chain, the nation’s first African American barber college chain founded by Texas African American millionaire, H. M. Morgan (Henry Miller Morgan).

Burns’ journalism work has been published by the following magazines: Black Enterprise, Black Voices, and Texas Highways. Moreover, she contributed to journalism at WFAA-TV, The Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Commercial Appeal, the Tri-State Defender, and The Flyer, among others.

Burns’ Scoop: Memphis’ First African American Mayor
She previously worked for various news media organizations, including The Associated Press in Mississippi and Texas. She was news director at two Memphis, Tennessee radio stations: WLOK-AM, (R&B/gospel) and WGKX-KIX 106 FM (country music). One of her KIX 106 newscasts advanced history for Memphis: Burns scooped all media with the breaking news that Dr. W. W. Herenton would campaign to become mayor of Memphis. She credits Memphis entrepreneur Ron Redwing for the tip, which she received during her then-morning drive newscast. Her KIX 106 breaking news story also appeared on The Associated Press wire across the state of Tennessee, from the Nashville bureau. Herenton won the 1991 election and became Memphis' first African American mayor.

Education
Burns graduated from the University of North Texas (UNT) with a Master of Arts in History, in December 2024. She earned a Master of Arts in Journalism Administration from the University of Memphis in May 1995, and graduated from Abilene Christian University (ACU) with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication/Broadcast Journalism in May 1983.

Selected Awards
In 1993, Burns was honored with the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce’s Ten Outstanding Young Americans (T.O.Y.A) Award for overcoming childhood poverty and for her successful broadcast journalism career. That same year, ACU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication presented Burns with its Distinguished Alumnus Professional Achievement Award, known as the Gutenberg Award. Burns made history as the first woman and the first African American to receive ACU’s Gutenberg in 1993, under the leadership of her former media law professor, the late Dr. Charlie Marler. At the time, Marler was the chair of ACU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. The National Association of Black Journalists and the former Tennessee Associated Press Broadcasters Association recognized Burns' journalism work, among other media organizations.

Life-changing Texas Highways Article: December 2020
Her UNT research focused on Texas African American business history in the twentieth century in the barbering and cosmetology industries. Her December 2020 Texas Highways magazine article about Edmund Morrow, of Terrell, Texas, launched her history graduate studies. Morrow is a 1962 graduate of Tyler Barber College Chain. When Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx was growing up in Terrell, Morrow was his barber. Burns’ former Texas Highways editor Matt Joyce encouraged her to “check out the barber shop,” and his assignment led to new paths.

Dr. Charlie Marler's and Peggy Marler's Edicts
After the Texas Highways article was published, Dr. Marler strongly urged Burns to return to graduate school to become a historian. He said during a December 2020 telephone conversation, “There aren’t enough African American historians and I want you to go back to graduate school. You can make a difference in your community!” Marler died in May 2022 and his widow, Peggy, told Burns that "Charlie wanted you to get that degree!" at his Celebratin of Life service June 1, 2022 in Abilene. Peggy's commitment to her husband;s vision for Burns forced Burns to redirect from grief to continued graduate study.

Scholarships from Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney
Two scholarships from Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney, Deputy Director of the African American Museum of Dallas, helped Burns start her coursework at the University of Texas at Arlington. She later transferred to UNT.

Master’s Thesis to be Published by UNT
In July 2024, Burns completed her history master’s thesis, "Texas African American Millionaire Henry Miller Morgan's Social Justice Crusade: Tyler Barber College Chain, 1933-1974." Her master’s thesis will be published in 2025 by the UNT Toulouse Graduate School. Scholars will be able to access Burns’ thesis in academic databases.

Updated January 13, 2025

About the TOYA

Bio of​Regina L. Burns, M.A., M.A.

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Bio of
Regina L. Burns, M.A., M.A.