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.

Photo Celebration of Regina L. Burns' Graduation from UNT December 2024

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

Winner of Abilene Christian University's Gutenberg Award in 1993, Regina L. Burns made history as the first woman and the first 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 the 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.​
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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) 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.

Life-changing Texas Highways Article: December 2020
Her December 2020 Texas Highways magazine article about Edmund Morrow, of Terrell, Texas, launched her graduate studies in History. Morrow is a 1962 graduate of Tyler Barber College Chain. When Oscar and Grammy-winner Jamie Foxx was growing up in Terrell, Texas, his grandfather, Mark Talley, used to take Jamie to Morrow’s Barber Shop for haircuts.   Burns’ former Texas Highways editor Matt Joyce encouraged her to “check out the barber shop." This assignment led to a new career path, including roles as a historian and an adjunct professor of history.

Dr. Charlie Marler's and Peggy Marler's Edicts
After the December 2020 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!”
Burns contacted University of Texas at Dallas History Professor Dr. Kimberly Hill for advice, even though they did not know each other. Hill advised Burns to pursue graduate studies in History and offered other counsel. Burns followed Hill’s advice, including contacting UNT History Professor Dr. J. Todd Moye. Moye introduced Burns to Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney, a retired University of Texas at Arlington History Professor, and at that time, Deputy Director at the African American Museum of Dallas.

Scholarships from Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney
Two scholarships from Dulaney helped Burns start her coursework at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dulaney, who was also the national president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), provided counsel about the importance of becoming a working historian. He shared his journey, mission, and dissertation. Further, he explained the challenges attached to being an African American historian and professor, which gave Burns a deeper understanding of this powerful and dynamic career path.

Marler died in May 2022 and his widow, Peggy, told Burns that "Charlie wanted you to get that degree!" She shared these words at her husband’s Celebration of Life service on June 1, 2022, in Abilene. Peggy's commitment forced Burns to redirect from grief to continue graduate study.

After completing two semesters at UTA, Burns transferred to UNT.  Burns graduated from UNT with a Master of Arts in History in December 2024. This accomplishment could not have happened without the help of numerous faculty, friends, family, and other supporters. 
​
​UNT Published Burns’ Master’s Thesis, Spring 2025
In Spring 2025, UNT published Burns’ master’s thesis, "Texas African American Millionaire Henry Miller Morgan's Social Justice Crusade: Tyler Barber College Chain, 1933-1974."  Her UNT research focused on Texas African American business history in the twentieth century in the barbering and cosmetology industries. 

Burns is thankful to Dr. Dan Lattimore, Professor & Dean Emeritus with The University of Memphis, for his guidance about the role of the law, which enabled Morgan to start Tyler Barber College during Jim Crow segregation. Additionally, Burns is grateful to the UNT master’s thesis committee: UNT Professors Dr. J. Todd Moye, Dr. Christopher Todd, and Dr. Chad Pearson, as well as the then-History Department Chair, Dr. Jennifer Wallach. Moreover, Burns is thankful to UNT History Professor and Chair, Dr. Michael Wise, for his guidance and support.
Moreover, Burns is thankful to all the Dallas-Fort Worth area higher education libraries, librarians, reference specialists, and colleagues at Collin College and at the University of North Texas at Frisco for their overwhelming support of this ongoing academic research project.

In Progress: The Tyler Barber College Chain Academic Book
​Since this thesis was published, Burns has continued her research on the Tyler Barber College Chain and H.M. Morgan. She is now working to introduce this hidden business history in a future academic book.​


Updated May 31, 2026

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