David Pearson attended Emory University on the GI Bill, graduating with a degree in History. The following years saw him in a number of different places and jobs: from teaching school in Havana, to covering Civil Rights in Alabama. From there he spent two years in Washington under Sargent Shriver at the Peace Corps, followed by helping former Florida Governor LeRoy Collins start up the new U. S. Community Relations Service. From there and for the next 50 years he has carried out his public relations career with the eponymous David Pearson Associates. Running parallel to his public relations firm’s services to its resort clients, Pearson provided counsel to former U. S. Senator Bob Graham in both his races for Florida Governor and for the Senate. JFK and Bobby, Arnie And Jack…and David! (David Pearson Books) opens with the riveting story of David Pearson’s experience in the White House the night of November 22, 1963, as he was asked to help in the preparations for President John F. Kennedy’s funeral. Pearson’s role was to handle the press that fateful night, and he became a witness to history. The book has two parts: it describes Pearson’s early life in Miami, and then tells the story of his unusual PR career. This includes his experiences in the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, as well as a series of interesting vignettes of his dealings with a number of sports celebrities, mainly in the game of golf. To name a few: Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Pete Dye, and Robert Trent Jones.
