5 Local Black Leaders Who Are Shaping the Future of Arizona

Welcome back to our salute to some of Arizona’s black leaders who are creating positive change in the state and beyond. If you missed it, check out our last post about former Maricopa Community College Chancellor Rufus Glasper.

For this post, we’re going to pivot to a figure who plays an important role in the media representation of African Americans. Cloves Campbell Jr. comes from a bloodline of towering figures in Arizona, as his father, Cloves Campbell Sr. was the first elected black Senator in the state’s history. Cloves Jr. runs the Arizona Informant, a long-standing publication that reports positive stories involving the black community.

What do you do when you’re the son of one of Arizona’s greatest black leaders and the state’s first elected State Senator? If you’re Clovis Campbell Jr., you carry on that history of activism and passion for social justice.

Cloves Campbell Sr. purchased the Arizona Informant in 1969 with the purpose of telling stories about the black community. His son, Cloves Jr., took over as the paper’s publisher after his father’s death, ushering the publication into the digital era while continuing its focus on uplifting stories involving black individuals.

Cloves Jr. also held a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010. In that time, he served on the House Appropriations and Ethics Committees and sponsored bills that encouraged green technology more accessible voter registration.

In 2013, Cloves Jr. was elected as Chairman of the Board for the National Newspaper Publishers Association. This organization is a trade association involving over 200 African American-owned newspapers around the U.S. with a combined readership of 15 million people. He also serves on a variety of board seats, including the Roosevelt Foundation for our Children’s Future, The Black Theatre Troupe, and the Wells Fargo Community Advisory Board.

Cloves Campbell Jr.’s story shows how we can use the power of information and media to positively impact our community. Starting with his father, Cloves continued a family legacy of laboring for social justice and giving minorities a voice in the national conversation.

Stay tuned for the next installment in our series of black leaders shaping the future of Arizona. And don’t forget to check out the last installment.