By Dr. Frances “Toni” Murphy Draper More than forty years ago, in a crowded corridor in Nassau, Bahamas, I watched Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. do something small that revealed something immense: he stopped. My mother, Frances L. Murphy II—then publisher of the AFRO-American Newspaper—and I were attending a conference where he was the keynote […]
Author Archives: Frances Toni Draper AFRO Publisher
Posted inWord In Black
Commentary: When a Black newspaper goes quiet
The closure of the Richmond Free Press underscores the fragility of Black-owned newspapers, which provide culturally competent reporting, community accountability, and coverage that mainstream media often misses. The Black Press remains vital for civic engagement, equity, and sustaining local voices.
Posted inBlack History
Protect the day, protect the truth
By Dr. Frances “Toni” Murphy DraperAFRO CEO and Publisher As the nation marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the real question is not how loudly we celebrate — but whether we are willing to live by the values Dr. King demanded. Each January, the nation knows how to celebrate. We mark the day. We replay […]
Posted inEditorial
AFRO CEO reflects on 2025: A year of resilience and relevance in Black journalism
The AFRO, a Black-owned news outlet, has been publishing for 133 years and continues to be a source of truth and self-definition for the Black community, covering a range of topics from public safety to culture and sports, while also honoring the legacy of Black leaders and preserving Black history.
Posted inWord In Black
What’s in a coin?
By Dr. Frances ‘Toni’ DraperWord in Black More than metal. More than money. More than nostalgia. A coin is a declaration — of who a nation chooses to honor, what it chooses to remember and what it is willing to erase. That is why what happened at the U.S. Mint should unsettle anyone who cares […]
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: I came of age at college…I fear for my grandchildren there
By Dr. France “Toni” Murphy DraperWord in Black I remember college as a place of possibility. We protested — yes — but we did so with sit-ins, with leaflets, with raised voices and locked arms. We marched and we sang “We Shall Overcome Someday.” We believed, perhaps naively, that collective courage and moral clarity could […]
Posted inEditorial
This Christmas, give our children something that will grow with them
By Dr. Frances “Toni” Murphy DraperAFRO CEO and Publisher Every holiday season, we search for the perfect gifts for the children in our lives. We want the joy and the surprise. But most of what we buy doesn’t last. Sneakers lose their shine, video games get replaced and toys are forgotten by spring. As families […]
Posted inEditorial
This Christmas, don’t let our elders be the last ones noticed
This Christmas, make sure to include and honor the elders in your family by listening to their stories, inviting them to contribute to conversations and decisions, and showing them appreciation with small gifts.
Posted inCommentary
Calling a woman ‘Piggy’: The real damage a president can do
AFRO CEO and publisher Dr. Frances Murphy (Toni) Draper condemns the president’s public insult of a female reporter, arguing that such demeaning language mirrors patterns of emotional abuse, fuels misogyny and racism, endangers women—especially women journalists—and normalizes harmful behavior across society. She urges leaders and communities to call out abusive conduct, teach respect, and model accountability.
Posted inWord In Black
Compassion has left the building
By Dr. Frances Murphy DraperAFRO CEO and Publisher As Americans worry whether they’ll get their next paycheck, keep the lights on, or afford dinner tonight, an internal email dated October 31, 2025, from the halls of the U.S. Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) lands — addressed to “Policy Colleagues,” wishing them a […]
Posted in!Front Page Maryland New
AI, fear and a bag of chips: How a Maryland teen became the latest victim of a broken system
by Frances Toni Draper, CEO and Publisher of the AFRO I keep thinking about a teenager—Black, 16, a student-athlete—who did what kids do after practice: he ate snacks with friends and waited for a ride. Minutes later, eight police cars rolled up to Kenwood High School in Baltimore County. Officers drew their guns, ordered him […]
Posted inWord In Black
Editorial: The right to vote is on trial… again
AFRO CEO and Publisher Frances “Toni” Draper warns that the right to vote is once again under threat as the Supreme Court reviews a case that could weaken the Voting Rights Act. She calls on all Americans to stay vigilant, reminding readers that protecting democracy demands courage, participation, and collective responsibility.