Oh Lord God, we know that we cannot do everything, but help us to do something. Carl Murphy
Frances Murphy Draper
CEO and Publisher
The AFRO-American Newspapers
Frances Murphy Draper, known as “Toni,” is a dedicated servant-leader, journalist, and accomplished speaker who continues her family’s legacy as CEO and publisher of The AFRO-American Newspapers, a role she has held since 2018.
Founded in 1892 by Draper’s great-grandfather, John H. Murphy Sr., The AFRO-American is Maryland’s oldest Black-owned business and the nation’s longest-running African American family-owned media company. Under Draper’s leadership, The AFRO has embraced modern media platforms and cutting-edge technology, while remaining committed to championing Black voices and causes.
A prolific writer and thought leader, Draper authored No Ordinary Hook-Up: The Courtship of Vashti Turley and Carl Murphy and co-authored Life Happens: But You Can Finish with Dr. Pamela Love. In January 2025, Our Daily Bread Publishing released her latest book, Prayer and Pen: The Prayers and Legacy of Carl Murphy, Publisher of The AFRO-American Newspapers (1922-1967). She has delivered numerous keynote addresses, including the 2023 Johns Hopkins University School of Education commencement speech.
Draper serves as first vice chair of the National Newspaper Publishers Association and board chair of Word in Black, a collaborative digital news platform with ten of the nation’s iconic Black news brands. In 2024, she received the Senate of Maryland’s First Citizen Award for her civic contributions.
A committed community advocate, Draper is a member of the Black Leadership Circle, the Executive Alliance and the Baltimore Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She served 25 years on the Morgan State University Board of Regents, stepping down as vice chair in 2020. She also served as founder and senior pastor of Freedom Temple AME Zion Church for 20 years before retiring in 2022.
An avid reader and lifelong learner, Draper attended Morgan State University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Baltimore, Loyola University Maryland, and United Theological Seminary, earning degrees in Spanish, education, business administration, pastoral counseling, and leadership.
Draper and her husband, Andre, are the proud parents of four young adults, 12 grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
Prayer and Pen
In times of struggle, chaos, and trial, we will be tempted to think that God’s goodness is not present. But prayer was the weapon of choice of Carl Murphy, the acclaimed publisher of the AFRO-American newspaper. And knowing the power behind his pen, Murphy often poured every thought and emotion into the prayers shared with family, friends, the community, and his newspaper. In this collection lovingly curated by Carl’s granddaughter and current AFRO publisher Frances Murphy Draper, travel back in time and journey through more than 50 original prayers from this cultural hero and pioneer. With each reading, reflect on Murphy’s authentic conversations with God and the perseverance and strength expressed by many as they were called to navigate Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, the Great Depression, two world wars, and other tumultuous, defining moments in United States history. Pause with these powerful words from Carl Murphy, and see how his remarkable legacy as a family patriarch and wise businessman is defined by the solace and strength found in consistent prayer.
No Ordinary Hook Up
Today, we live in a hook-up culture - a culture that promotes casual sex. One hundred years ago, a hook-up was not about casual sex. It was the precursor to a lifetime commitment. In 1911, my grandparents, Carl Murphy and Lula Vashti Turley "hooked up" at Howard University in Washington, D.C. - he, the German professor, and she, the German student; he, born in 1889, and she, five years earlier; he the Alpha man and she the co-founder of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; he, the son of the founder of the Afro-American Newspaper; and she, the D.C. school teacher. It wasn't until after she was graduated from Howard in 1913 that she invited the young handsome professor "to call". But this was no ordinary hook-up It was a courtship extraordinaire based on a strong faith in God, on who they were as individuals, as well as on who they hoped to become as a couple. Their remarkable letters ---published for the first time-are inspirational and instructive, as they reveal intimate details about their whirlwind courtship. "You love me then because my eyes are bright? Beauty will fade, but not the God in me, love that, beloved, to eternity".
Life Happens...But You Can Finish
Have you ever started something, but had difficulty finishing? Have you ever wanted to quit midway through a project? Have life experiences ever kept you from completing an important goal? Do others acknowledge your accomplishments, yet you have a hard time recognizing your own successes? Then this book is for you! Life Happens…but You Can Finish offers an intimate and realistic view of 12 women’s lives and the truths that emerge when you are willing to look deeply enough and dare to dream again. It also allows you to understand that if you are clear about your purpose and accept that you can achieve anything, in spite of whatever life throws your way, you are definitely on the path to becoming a Finisher. The stories are designed to inspire you and remind you that just like these women, you can be a Finisher too! However, this book is more than just a collection of compelling stories. It is a blueprint for anyone who feels stuck and is serious about finishing what you've started. It reminds all of us that quitting is not an option. It's your time to finish!