The call by former AFRO paper boy-now Chairman of the Morgan State University Board of Regents Kweisi Mfume -“Edi Af froh–AFRO! Get your AFRO Newspaper here,” rang out through the grand ballroom at Martin’s Crosswind’s in Greenbelt, Md. Such was the signal for the start of the celebration program of the Afro-American Newspapers’ 125th Anniversary.
Kweisi Mfume sounds the AFRO paper-boy’s sales call to signal the start of the AFRO 125th Anniversary Celebration program
The paper, which was established by John H. Murphy, Sr., was founded on the principle of giving the Black communities throughout the United States a voice to be informed on the news impacting them and to instill cultural pride. The gala’s theme was “AFRO at 125: Framing Our Heritage, Forging Our Legacy, Forecasting Our Future.” The paper stands as the oldest, continuously running Black family owned newspaper in the United States.
Hundreds of people gathered at the black-tie celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the AFRO American Newspapers (Photo by Rob Roberts)
“In August of 1892, the AFRO was born with an objective to strengthen the Black community and to advance Black cultural pride in a hostile, racist society that violently threatened every hint of social, racial equality. Instead of accepting the limitations that faced the race, John H. Murphy, Sr. chose to employ the AFRO as a tool for change to challenge and overcome these vile threats,” Jake Oliver, the paper’s publisher and Board of Director’s chair told hundreds of guests on Aug. 12. “Under the guidance of John H. Murphy, Sr., the AFRO undertook to ignite self confidence within the Black community by framing a heritage of balance and irrepressible courage, thus Black self assurance began a slow but relentless rise in the first decades of the 20th Century.”
Hundreds of people gathered at the black-tie celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the AFRO American Newspapers (Photo by Rob Roberts)
Among the audience, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, Baltimore County Executive Kevin B. Kamenetz, Ben Jealous and many other dignitaries made an appearance at the gala. Pugh, Baker and Kamenetz presented the AFRO with proclamations. Representatives on behalf of U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also attended. Veteran broadcast journalist Maureen Bunyan and Robert L. Wallace, founder and CEO of BITHGROUP Technologies, Inc. an information technology services company, served as co-emcees for the event.
Robert L. Wallace and Maureen Bunyan served as co-emcees.
“The fight goes on. This celebration of the AFRO gala at 125 is a benchmark of some stellar achievements from yesteryear, but it also is a launching pad for … even grander tryings for the next 125 years,” Oliver said.
Margot L. Shetterly, author of Hidden Figures, received the Carl J. Murphy Thinker Award.
Jeffery Ballou, president of the National Press Club in D.C., was honored with the paper’s John H. Murphy, III award for excellence in entrepreneurship and managerial assistance; Joyce J. Scott, multi-media performing artist, received the John H. Murphy, Sr. Award for excellence and achievement; and Margot L. Shetterly, author of Hidden Figures, received the Carl J. Murphy Thinker Award. All awards were given to the individuals for the stellar work in advancing the Black voice.
Joyce J. Scott, multi-media performing artist, received the John H. Murphy, Sr. Award.
“After the time I spent looking through the AFRO for these hidden figures, I have come to think of the Black newspapers as the hidden figures, behind the ‘Hidden Figures,’” Shetterly, who was also the event’s keynote speaker, said.
There was also an awards presentation for AFRO Clean Block winner Keith Figgs, who is from the Sandtown neighborhood in Baltimore. A musical solo “The Impossible Future” was performed by 18-year-old Blake Myles Hopkins who was accepted to the Washington National Opera Institute at American University in D.C.
Jeffery Ballou, President of the National Press Club in D.C., received the John H. Murphy, III award.
During his acceptance speech, Ballou acknowledged John Russwurm, publisher of the first Black newspaper in 1827; Frederick Douglas, who established the North Star to challenge slavery in 1847; journalist Ida B. Wells, who combatted lynchings; Robert Lee Vann, who founded the Pittsburgh Courier in 1910; John Murphy, Sr. and other Black leaders for paving the the way for him to stand as the second Black leader of an organization that did not allow minority members until 1955. “They and many many more paved the way for me to stand at this place tonight,” he said, “standing on their shoulders to withstand the slings and arrows, shielded by their bravery, to be one of the faces speaking truth to power.”
Since its beginning, the AFRO has continued under the leadership of five publishers: John J. Oliver (1986-present); Frances Murphy, II (1971-1974) and publisher over the D.C. edition (1986-2007); John Murphy, III (1967-1970 and 1974-1986); Carl Murphy (1918-1967) and John H. Murphy, Sr. (1892-1922).
Descendants of John H. Murphy, Sr. (Photo by Rob Roberts)
“There was a particular level of pride and respectability that came with subscribing to the Afro-American. It helped us see beyond the immediate circumstances we faced as sharecroppers to the far larger world of Black physicians, teachers, politicians and soldiers,” Lee Ross-Clark, a D.C. resident told the AFRO.
In honor of the 125th anniversary, the newspaper announced that it will begin a paid fellowship program for journalism students at Morgan State University in Baltimore and Howard University in D.C.
Click here to view the live stream of the entire AFRO 125th Anniversary Celebration program.
Shantella Sherman contributed to this article.
