A sharp businessman with a servant’s heart, Stephen Beasley strives to make a positive, sustainable impact on Tallahassee’s Southside.
The Tallahassee native is the son of former Florida A&M professor Sylvester “Jap” Beasley, which explains Stephen’s love for FAMU. Stephen developed a passion for photography while attending FAMU High and then moved on to his beloved university, where he majored in business administration and minored in accounting and marketing.
In 1965, Stephen combined his degree, his passion for photography, and his entrepreneurial spirit when he began a photography and advertising business, Beasley & Associates. Five years later, he founded the Capital Hour Newspaper, which he published for five years. In 1976, he established the renowned Capital Outlook newspaper. After 50 years at the helm of his advertising business, Stephen finally retired and focused fully on service.
More than 30 years after helping to found the MLK Foundation, Stephen serves as the organization’s CEO. The foundation aligns with so much of what Stephen stands for: promoting charity, community, and leadership, while also spreading the spirit of community pride and equality embodied by Dr. King.
Stephen considers himself blessed as a businessman and as a person, which inspires him to give back. During his youth, his family stressed the importance of civic engagement. This environment of deeply valuing service and love inspired him to do the same for the youth on the Southside. As a result, he has started three Boy Scouts troops and dedicates his time to mentoring.
Stephen Beasley and his late wife Nickie, a school administrator for Leon County Schools, were married for 38 years. They have one daughter and two grandchildren.
