The Afro

The AFRO, formally known as The Afro-American Newspapers, is one of the oldest continuously operating Black-owned media organizations in the United States. Founded in 1892 in Baltimore by John H. Murphy Sr., a formerly enslaved man, the publication was established with the mission of providing news, advocacy, and representation for Black communities during a period of widespread racial exclusion in mainstream media. Over more than a century, the AFRO has evolved from a church-linked publication into a major regional and national Black newspaper with editions historically circulated in cities including Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Richmond, and Newark. It has played a significant role in documenting Black life, advancing civil rights, and challenging segregation and racial injustice through investigative reporting and editorial advocacy.