Susan L. Taylor (born January 23, 1946) is an American editor, writer, and journalist. She served as editor-in-chief of Essence from 1981 through 2000.^[1] In 1994, American Libraries referred to Taylor as "the most influential black woman in journalism today".

Taylor was born in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City to a Trinidadian mother and a father from St. Kitts.^[2] She grew up in East Harlem, where her father owned a clothing store. She was raised Catholic and went to a Catholic school.^[3] As a teenager, she moved with her family to the New York borough of Queens.^[4]

Taylor started her career at Essence, a magazine for African-American women, in 1970, the year the magazine was founded. Her first position at the magazine was freelance fashion and beauty editor.^[1] At the time, she was a divorced single mother without a college degree.^[5]

By 1981, Taylor had risen to become editor-in-chief, a position she held until 2000.^[1] During the 1980s, she attended night school and earned a B.A. from Fordham University.^[5]

In addition to her editing responsibilities, Taylor had success building the Essence brand. She was executive producer and host of Essence, the Television Program, a syndicated interview program broadcast on more than 50 stations for four years during the 1980s. In the 1990s, she began Essence Books.^[5]

Taylor's monthly inspirational column, "In the Spirit", became a popular feature of the magazine. She published three volumes of selected columns.

In 2000, Taylor was promoted to publications director. She left the magazine in 2008.^[1]

Several news outlets have published stories regarding trans model Tracey Norman, in which it is said that Taylor played a direct role in her exile from the industry after her transness was discovered.^[6][7][8] Taylor has vociferously denied these accusations, and has said that she had always suspected Norman was trans.^[9]

In 1986, Taylor received a Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.^[10] In 1987, she received the Matrix Award from New York Women in Communications.^[11][12]

The Magazine Publishers of America gave Taylor its Henry Johnson Fisher Award, considered one of the industry's highest honors, in 1998. She was the first African-American woman to receive the award.^[1][13]

In 2002, Taylor was inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors' Hall of Fame for her work at Essence.^[14][15]

Exceptional Women in Publishing presented Taylor its fifth annual Exceptional Woman in Publishing award in 2003.^[16]

In 2006, the NAACP gave Taylor its President's Award.^[17]

Taylor is an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority; she was inducted on July 13, 2013.^[18]

In 1989, Taylor married writer Khephra Burns at their home in upstate New York.^[19] Taylor's daughter, Shana, owns a beauty supply business and is married to NBA Hall of Fame inductee Bernard King.^[5]

• In the Spirit: The Inspirational Writings of Susan L. Taylor, 1993.
• Lessons in Living, 1995.
• Confirmation: The Spiritual Wisdom That Has Shaped Our Lives, 1997. Co-authored with Khephra Burns.
• All About Love: Favorite Selections from "In the Spirit" on Living Fearlessly, 2008.