BY IJEOMA NWATU
BIO
- Certificate ’80, MBA ’81, The University of Baltimore
Merrick School of Business- Family matriarch/li>
- Board chair, president and fourth-generation publisher, The AFRO American Newspapers
- Founding pastor, Freedom Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
In the early 1980s, The University of Baltimore’s Certificate in Women’s Management might have been regarded as something of a novelty, but Frances Murphy Draper (Toni), D.Min., CERT ’80, MBA ’81, recalled her time as a student in the program fondly saying, “I remember how supportive it was.”
At the time, Draper was juggling many responsibilities—including being a working professional, mother and wife—and appreciated the intentionality of the course and its removal of barriers for women like herself. The 14-month program alternated weekends and helped to develop her leadership skills. “It was very, very unique; the thoughtfulness around how women learn and lead, how women have to juggle so many things.” For example, she recalled a particularly impactful lesson about how to be assertive in the boardroom without being labeled aggressive.
While the certificate program spoke to her as a woman and the scion of one of the nation’s oldest family-owned media outlets, the University’s MBA program fed the entrepreneurial spirit she had been cultivating since her time in the Girl Scouts and Junior Achievement as a youth. Draper would eventually lean on the leadership skills she gained as part of her UBalt experience as she took the reins of her family’s legacy.
“ It’s more than a newspaper; it’s a vehicle for telling our history, amplifying our voices.”
In 1897, her great-grandfather, John H. Murphy Sr., who was born into slavery, purchased the Afro- American newspaper (originally established in 1892), where he had been serving as head of the printing press. The AFRO, as it is colloquially known, is a familyowned business and institution in Baltimore, and, over time, the Murphy family grew the chain to include 13 national editions. Draper was named president of the company in 1986 and is proud to be a fourth-generation publisher—not to be outdone by the fifth and sixth generation descendants of Murphy Sr., who also work on the paper. In 1999, she left daily operations to pursue her call to the pastoral ministry.
“The AFRO is the oldest Black business in Maryland. It’s lasted a pretty long time. I think that’s important,” she explained. The newspaper also remains the longest contiguous African-American family-owned newspaper in the United States and the oldest Black-owned business in the DMV. In addition to her role as publisher, Draper serves as the chairperson of the board and has done so since 2018. When asked what the publication means to her, she said, “It’s more than a newspaper; it’s a vehicle for telling our history, amplifying our voices. The Black press in general has a role to play especially now with so much discussion about critical race theory (CRT) and teaching or not teaching Black history.” She goes on to add the significance of a Black legacy publication means it can hold others accountable to and how Black Americans are portrayed. The AFRO also serves as an archive for African Americans and their history in the United States, which is necessary as advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) rely on information and sources from diverse news media.
In recent years, the media brand has focused on digital media and innovation. Draper said, “We’ve constantly been at the forefront of technology for our industry. Being small and efficient we can pivot a little faster. In these last five years, we have been intentional about participating in as many labs as we can, learning about as many technologies as we can, implementing them, and keeping the ones that work well for us.” Through The AFRO, Draper has ventured into the digital startup space by collaborating with other Black-owned legacy publishers to form a public benefit corporation that operates a collaborative national newsroom, Word in Black. Established in the summer of 2021 in the wake of racial and social justice movements spurred by the death of George Floyd, Word in Black aims to be a trusted news source that centers Black people with stories written by and for them.
Draper, a lifelong Baltimorean, has held (and continues to hold) many titles—retired pastor, author, certified counselor, publishing executive. Her roots in the city run deep, as do her connections. When she speaks about her own journey, it’s apparent how interconnected it is to the history and legacy of her family and the city itself.
Beyond The AFRO, Draper is most associated with her ministry work in and around Baltimore. Raised in a Chistian household, “Pastor Toni” (as the congregation called her) is the founding pastor of the Freedom Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in the Lakeland area of Baltimore. She remains the first female pastor of Freedom Temple African Methodist Episocal Zion Church, formerly John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church, from 2002–2022.
As someone who has “a real appreciation for people of different backgrounds, different cultures,” two other titles Draper holds dear are avid theatergoer and travel enthusiast. She is just as likely to be found with her husband of more than 50 years, Andre, taking in a Broadway show as she is tucked into a quaint bed and breakfast while touring Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
But those titles are deeply intertwined with the ones she holds closest to her heart—wife, mother and grandmother. While the impact of the social and cultural contributions made by the AFRO newspapers for over 100 years cannot be overstated, for Draper, her four adult children, 12 grandchildren and great-grandchild are her greatest legacy.