June 8, 1999
Lewis, who earned a bachelor's degree in political science and history at KU in 1960, was born in Arkansas City and grew up in Kansas City, Kan. He received KU's highest honor, the distinguished service citation, in 1994.
"KU provided me with a wonderful education and the ability to take my first steps in the business world," Lewis said during a visit to the KU campus.
Lewis, 60, served as National Public Radio's chief executive officer from 1994 to 1998. He was the first African-American to lead the network. NPR provides news, information, and cultural programming to more than 500 member and associate stations throughout the nation, including KANU 91.5-FM, KU's public radio station.
Before joining NPR, Lewis worked for 21 years at C&P Telephone of Washington. He began his career in government in 1963 as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice and later joined the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. From 1966 to 1969, he served in the U.S. Peace Corps as associate director in Nigeria and as country director in Uganda. Upon his return from Africa, he was named director of the Peace Corps' East and Southern Africa Division.
He now lives in New Mexico with his wife, Gayle. They have four sons and six grandchildren. Lewis, who earned a law degree from Washburn University, Topeka, is a member of the Kansas and District of Columbia bar associations.
Contact: Todd Cohen, University Relations, (785) 864-8858 or tcohen@ukans.edu