History of Rex Harlow

Harlow first worked as the business manager for Harlow’s Weekly before moving up to secretary and treasurer of Harlow Publishing Company in 1950. Rex soon went to Oklahoma State University in 1916. 

Harlow was deployed in World War One, but when he returned home, he became vice president of the company and editor of Harlow’s Weekly. He wrote more than 200 biographical sketches of Oklahomans, contributed historical and features, wrote children’s fiction, and published books.

After graduating from college, with a bachelor’s degree and interest in public relations, Harlow quit his family business and went to the University of Texas for his masters and moved on to get his doctoral degree at Stanford University. Once gradationing from Stanford, he joined the faculty as an education professor. During his employment, Rex founded the Public Relations Department.

Harlow was determined to make public relation an accredited profession. He promoted social responsibility, including a code of ethics. In 1939 he co-founded the American Council on Public Relations (later PRSA) and served as its president and later sat on the board of directors. 

Harlow’s contributions to the profession include many such as founding, editing and publishing journals relating to public relations. Later, he became an advisor to presidents Hubert Hoover, and Franklin D. Roosevelt and received awards and honors like Public Relations Man of the Year, Annual Professional Award, Gold Anvil Award of PRSA and more. 

Rex F. Harlow was a man that helped kickstart Public Relations, as a public relation major, I am beyond grateful for him and his work. What he did so many years ago helped to shape the profession I’ve decided to pursue and spend my life living up to past legends like himself.