Jonah Bryson

Bryson with the King family at Ebenezer Church

in Atlanta, GA.

Jonah Bryson is an experienced political communications strategist, currently serving a press secretary and on-the-record spokesperson for the national president of the NAACP, the head of America’s flagship civil rights organization. Previously, he managed PR for Martin Luther King III, son of civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and was a traveling photographer for the King family. Bryson's work spans from grassroots campaigns to national politics.

In 2018, Bryson directed a production with survivors of the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting, with the simple goal of encouraging first-time voters to participate in the midterms. It was released by People Magazine and hit #1 on Rolling Stone's trending list on election day. Sir Paul McCartney, Congressmen John Lewis, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore and countless others sent letters to Bryson in support of the project.

While working with the King family, Bryson directed Mr. King's 2019 reflections on the anniversary of the "I Have A Dream" speech, released exclusively by The New York Times. In 2020, Bryson directed the King family's filmed address, live from the United Nations General Assembly, for the anniversary of Dr. King's 1968 assassination. Bryson also composed its orchestral score. It was released by NBC News.

Shortly after joining the NAACP, Bryson conceptualized, directed, and shot an ad voiced by Morgan Freeman, which encourages Americans to vote. It aired on MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show just days before the 2020 presidential election.

At the NAACP, Bryson focuses on planning and executing national press strategies on voting and reproductive rights, police accountability, gun reform, and other issues. Bryson's writing and strategic messaging has been positively quoted, referenced, and highlighted across CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP, Reuters, NBC, ABC, CBS, Axios, Politico, and other outlets.

During the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act and John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act negotiations on capitol hill, Bryson was directly quoted in The Washington Post, NBC, CBS, and other national media outlets. Bryson holds an extensive network of reporters across all national print and TV platforms.

In December 2021, at the PR News Media Relations conference in Washington, DC, Bryson spoke on designing, delivering, and circulating newsworthy soundbites that make an impact and result in favorable headlines. He then hosted a media strategy workshop with Georgetown Professor Matt Charles following the speech.

In early 2022, in his personal capacity, Bryson produced and wrote a musical piece featuring more than 200 artists from around the world in support of Ukraine. It was sung by Judith Hill, Michael Jackson's duet vocalist, and features a Ukrainian violinist recording inside a bomb shelter in the city of Kharkiv. It was released by Reuters and The Associated Press, and aired in 8 different countries around the world in support of humanitarian efforts.

Aside from politics, Bryson enjoys scuba diving and exploring our blue planet’s oceans. In 2018, Bryson joined Fabien Cousteau, the grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, on a filmed expedition that both Bryson and Cousteau directed. While working together between 2016 and 2018, Bryson and Cousteau developed content to shine a spotlight on climate change and its impacts on the oceans.