Baltimore City Mayor Bradon M. Scott and Maryland Governor Wes Moore have made it clear that they will not welcome federal intervention in response to threats from the 47th president of the United States– especially given that crime is down, according to 2025 data.
Author Archives: Frances Toni Draper AFRO Publisher
Posted inOpinion
Firing the best and the brightest
The dismissals of trailblazing Black women leaders like Lisa Cook (left) and Carla Hayden (right), along with attacks on Black-led cities and officials, is revealing a deliberate effort to undermine excellence, representation and equity, sending a dangerous message that no achievement by Black Americans is safe.
Posted inCommentary
Defending the African American Museum of History and Culture is defending America’s truth
By Dr. Frances Murphy DraperAFRO Publisher and CEO America cannot afford to whitewash its past. Yet that is exactly what is at stake in the current review of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. To question whether slavery and racism belong in the story of this nation is not only dangerous—it is […]
Posted inAfro Newspaper
133 Years—and we’re still telling the truth
The AFRO-American Newspapers, a 133-year-old Black-owned and family-owned business, continues to thrive under the leadership of Publisher and CEO Frances Murphy Draper, blending its historic legacy with modern innovation while fighting for truth and equity in the face of current crises.
Posted inEditorial
The endgame behind the MLK Files — erase the man, then erase the holiday
The sudden release of FBI files on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a calculated attempt to tarnish his legacy and silence the symbols that inspire progress, and is part of a broader reactionary wave aimed at rewriting history.
Posted inOpinion
Independence Interrupted: What Fort Gregg-Adams teaches us this Fourth of July
The renaming of Fort Lee back to Fort Gregg-Adams, and the reversal of progress for Black women in the military and media, are part of a larger pattern of erasing Black history and undermining equity, and must be resisted in order to ensure that freedom fully includes Black Americans.
Posted inCommentary
Celebrating Black music month: From Billie to Gabby, Go-Go to Gospel
Black Music Month is a celebration of the Baltimore-Washington corridor’s rich musical tapestry, from jazz legends Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington to hip-hop artists like Sisqó and Gabby Samone, and gospel choirs like the Howard Gospel Choir and Morgan State University Choir.
Posted inSports
Black women in sports: A personal and collective journey
Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper is publisher and CEO of the AFRO-American Newspapers. This week, she speaks to the contribution of Black women in the world of sports.
Posted inCommentary
Budgeting and saving: Telling your money where to go
Frances Murphy Draper is the publisher and CEO of the AFRO. This week she reflects on the resilience, contributions and financial empowerment of Black communities—highlighting how faith, determination and collective action have shaped our economic journey.
Posted inOPINION
Op-ed: Unconscious bias doesn’t need a color line
By Frances Murphy DraperAFRO CEO and Publisher My husband and I recently visited First Watch in Towson expecting a relaxing breakfast. Instead, we left feeling disrespected and dismissed. When we arrived we were in line, in front of two White patrons. The Black host asked how many were in our party. “Two,” we replied. He […]
Posted inEditorial
The Black women who built the AFRO: A legacy of truth and trailblazing journalism
The AFRO-American Newspapers has a rich history of journalistic excellence, thanks to the contributions of many Black women, including Frances L. Murphy II, Elizabeth “Bettye” Murphy Moss, Ida Murphy Peters, Vashti Murphy Matthews, Carlita Murphy Jones, Elizabeth Murphy Oliver, and many others.
Posted inOPINION
Love, marriage and the evolution of dating: Lessons from the past
Frances “Toni” Draper, CEO and Publisher of the AFRO, revisits the cultural view of relationships in the Black community and explores the courtship and marriage of her grandparents, Carl Murphy and Lula Vashti Turley, highlighting the importance of real love and commitment.