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How We Got Started

Russell M. Perry established Perry Publishing Company by publishing the first edition of Oklahoma City's The Black Chronicle newspaper on April 12th, 1979.

The Black Chronicle is a descendant of the Black Dispatch, the first African-American newspaper publication in Oklahoma City, founded by Roscoe Dunjee in 1915. Russell Perry became employed at the Black Dispatch during high school. There, he gained unparalleled hands-on experience in journalism and publishing, becoming well-rounded in all areas of the production process. After attending college, he returned to the Black Dispatch and quickly began moving up in the ranks, from general manager to eventually becoming a part owner. Six years into part ownership, it became apparent that he and his partners shared a different vision for the direction of the publication. It was at that point that he resigned and started out on his own, with nothing other than a keen sense for opportunity and unfaltering determination.

Armed with the will of hard work and faith he’d maintained over the years he acquired funding through First Security Bank and leased his first office space in Oklahoma City with a 3-year lease. One month before the lease was up, he was in a financial position to purchase his first building in Oklahoma City, where the Black Chronicle Newspaper still stands and operates today.

A venture that was initiated on faith burgeoned into systemic change in the world of journalism and broadcasting in Oklahoma. Through the foundation he constructed, a field that previously had little to no African American representation has grown to be saturated with black professionals who excel not only within the state but across the nation and abroad.

The Black Chronicle newspaper, a weekly periodical servicing the Oklahoma City metro area's African American community, has grown into one of the largest paid weekly newspapers in the state of Oklahoma. Currently, The Black Chronicle serves the entire state of Oklahoma, including Tulsa, Lawton/Ft. Sill, and Oklahoma City.

The Black Chronicle has a long history of delivering high-quality content that informs, educates, and entertains its audience, targeting the local African American community. Over the years, we have earned a reputation for journalistic integrity and ethical standards and remain committed to serving our audiences with impartial and accurate reporting.

The Black Chronicle Team

RUSSELL M. PERRY, Publisher

RANOLA C. PERRY, Vice President and Secretary

ALBERT J. LINDSEY, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor

KEVIN S. PERRY, Vice President and Director of Advertising Sales

ESTHER A. DEAN, Director of Graphic Design

CHRISTOPHER V. PORTER, Graphic Design and Composition

EMORY L. WILSON, Graphic Design and Composition

CRYSTAL PITTMAN, Accounts Payable

LAUREN C. GAVIN, Accounts Receivable

WILLIE WALLY JR., Circulation

CHARLES MOORE, Circulation

HERMAN G. HOOPER SR., Circulation

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