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The Forward Times in Houston: Carrying Forth a Special Vision

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Because of the leadership of “Doll” Carter, the Forward Times newspaper reached a paid circulation of roughly 65,000 and is still one of only a few publications in the region to hold a second-class mailing permit, which gives the company the ability to mail its newspapers directly into the homes and the offices of their loyal and dedicated subscribers.
The post The Forward Times in Houston: Carrying Forth a Special Vision first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

March 12, 2022

Jeffrey L. Boney NNPA Newswire contributor

195 Years of the Black Press

By Jeffrey L. Boney, Forward Times Associate Editor for NNPA Newswire

The spirit of Black journalism, which was inspired by Russwurm and Cornish, found its way to Houston 128 years later through a vision given to a local Black businessman to birth a newspaper that positively reflected the Black community, while also reporting the hard truths happening in our communities on the local, state, and national level.

After initially casting his vision to a group of friends in 1955, entrepreneur Julius P. Carter started investing every extra dollar he could from his cigarette vending business that he operated out of his office garage, into the equipment he needed to print his first tabloid-sized publication.

It was Mr. Carter’s plan to print a publication that featured only photos and positive stories about Black Houstonians in that first edition.

Thanks to his bold vision, the Forward Times newspaper published its first edition on January 30, 1960, out of his office garage.

“The idea of launching a newspaper like the Forward Times came about because of my father’s strong business acumen and community prowess amongst Houston’s Black elite,” said Karen Carter Richards, CEO and Publisher of the Forward Times and NNPA Chair.

“My father wanted Black people to be highlighted during a new era where it was time for African Americans in the City of Houston to move forward, and he did that successfully from the founding of the newspaper to his passing in 1971.”

Mr. Carter successfully ran the Forward Times from 1960 to 1971.

In 1971, after reporting a story that was not so favorable to the powers that be, the Forward Times’ building was bombed.

After the bombing, Mr. Carter died of a massive heart attack, only four days later, primarily because of all the pressure he had endured.

Upon his death, Mr. Carter’s wife, Lenora “Doll” Carter took the helm at the Forward Times in 1971.

Affectionately known by many simply as “Doll” Carter, she took on the daunting task of being the Publisher and Editor of the newspaper and the CEO of the company, as a 29-year-old widow with two little girls, who were 9 and 11 at the time.

“The bold decision that my mother made to upgrade the business by purchasing an 8-Unit Goss press with the capability of printing two color newspaper jobs at one time gave Forward Times Publishing Co. a significant edge in the regional market,” said Karen Carter Richards.

“Not only was she responsible for the day-to-day operations of one of the only publishing companies in the country to own its own printing press, but she was also responsible for maintaining and securing clients who owned other major newspapers and magazines in the region.

“One of those clients was the University of Houston Daily Cougar, which Forward Times Publishing Co. printed every single day for over 28 years.”

Because of the leadership of “Doll” Carter, the Forward Times newspaper reached a paid circulation of roughly 65,000 and is still one of only a few publications in the region to hold a second-class mailing permit, which gives the company the ability to mail its newspapers directly into the homes and the offices of their loyal and dedicated subscribers.

During her tenure, the Forward Times continued to add to its impressive resume of never missing a week of print since inception.

The business celebrated over fifty years in business under her visionary and dedicated leadership from 1971 until her untimely death in April of 2010.

The Forward Times remains the only Black newspaper in the Greater Houston area that is still operated by its founding family and is the only Black newspaper in the Greater Houston area that has printed its newspaper consecutively, having never missed a week a print, for over 62 years.

The post The Forward Times in Houston: Carrying Forth a Special Vision first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Jeffrey L. Boney NNPA Newswire contributor

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Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

Oakland Post

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”