- A 1968 graduate of The Booker T. Washington High School of Leadership Excellence
- A 1972 graduate of Memphis State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree
- A 1990 graduate of The University of Memphis with a Masters Degree in Communication Studies
Janis Fullilove, a native Memphian, is quite active with a number of groups throughout the city. A mentor with Girls Inc., she?s also an active member of the NAACP, a board member of C.A.A.P. and past board member of the Memphis Film Commission, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta So.
Having worked at the University of Memphis for 14 years as an Instructor in Communication, at the request of the Dean, she filled in for several years at Northwest Mississippi Community College teaching Oral Communication. Her dedication to education led her to accept a full time position at the college. Janis is an
Instructor of Communication Studies at Northwest Ms. Community College, as well as a former talk show host and television personality.
Janis began her radio career in 1971 while a student at Memphis State University. Prior to her interest in broadcast journalism at Memphis State, Janis, an 18 year old student at the university was a vocal advocate for change on the campus. Having participated in the sanitation marches with Dr. King in 1968, his works, his activism and his death changed her forever.
As a school reporter at Booker T Washington, Janis was angry over the limitations the city?s? strictly segregated society seemed to place on her and others. So she became an active participant with the NAACP and SCLC during the months prior to and after the death of Dr. King.
Facing brutal police, being shot at and narrowly missing death, ( she appeared on 60 minutes showing where her hair piece was shot off of her head by a Memphis police officer) Janis? determination and resolve was as strong as ever following the death of Dr. King. Rejecting scholarships from Tennessee State and Fisk University, she worked two jobs to attend Memphis State University, a school she and others knew reeked with racism towards blacks and other minorities. Shaken by Dr. Kings? death and determined to carry out his ideals, Janis soon realized that there was not fairness and equality on the predominately white college campus. As a result she and 108 other students were jailed for staging a sit-in, in the office of the president. Sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in the penal farm, Janis was even more determined to fight for blacks on that campus. Following her reinstatement to the university, she used the university?s? radio station to address issues that pertained to blacks and others who felt disenfranchised and alienated. Change gradually came to the campus and Janis? voice continued to be heard that segregation was wrong, hate was wrong and all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Janis? personal belief is , If I can help somebody, if I can help break a stereotype or help someone see the error in how they?re thinking towards another person, if I can guide them to the light, them, my living won?t be in vain.
Having graduated with honors at Memphis State in 1972, Janis was hired as the first African American at WREC as a news announcer. WHBQ heard Janis on the air and immediately hired her in 1974 as a news commentator, the first black person to hold a position at the station. In 1979 she was hired as New Director/Talk Show Host at WJPC in Chicago, where she stayed for 4 years before accepting a position at KDIA in San Francisco. Later she was hired by WALG in Albany Georgia. She worked in the capacity as News and Public Affairs Director. In 1985 she was hired to host a morning show at WJLBT. in Detroit Michigan. In 1988 she moved back to Memphis and was hired by WDIA radio. In 1994 she became the first black talk show host at WMC radio in Memphis. In 1996 she returned back to WDIA where she was host of her own show, The Janis Fullilove Show. Janis along with local personality Mike Fleming was co-commentators for ABC 24 and Channel 30 in Memphis. Their commentaries led to an Emmy nomination in 2002. In 2003 she left both the television and radio airwaves to seek political office in Memphis.
After a close race for a city office in 2003 Janis, returned to the airwaves, on WLOK, where she hosted a two hour show from 3- 5 Monday through Friday. Janis is a Commissioner, on the Memphis Charter Commission.
A mother of two children, Janeen Gordon-Batiste, a morning radio personality at K97 FM and Shamala Pace, she?s also the grandmother of Taylor Rachel Pace, and, Jakobe? Zacharrius Pace. Janis is a member of Christ Missionary Baptist Church, pastored by Gena Stewart.. She?s the loving wife, of Vernon Chalmers.