The Afro American Newspaper
The Afro American Newspaper is a 133-year-old, family-owned Black media publication serving Black communities in the mid-Atlantic. It operates digital and print news via afro.com, subscription products, e-commerce, event ticketing, and civic engagement under The Black Media Authority brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1892
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Afro American Newspaper does
The Afro American Newspaper (legal entity: The Black Media Authority) is a privately held, family-owned Black media company founded in 1892 by John H. Murphy, Sr., operating continuously for 133+ years. Headquartered in Baltimore with a secondary office in Washington, D.C., it serves Black communities across the mid-Atlantic region (Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Prince George's County) through a digital-first news platform at afro.com, print editions, and a network of community-facing products. The company reports 51-100 employees and brands itself as "The Black Media Authority."
The core product is a local-to-regional news publication covering Baltimore, Washington D.C., Prince George's County, national and international news, sports, arts & entertainment, business, and opinion, with a dedicated civic engagement hub (AFRO Votes). Underlying technology is a standard Newspack-powered content management system with subscription paywall, e-commerce, and event ticketing functionality — no proprietary technology stack is disclosed. Ancillary products include AFRO Mall (e-commerce merchandise storefront), AFROtix (event ticketing), a free daily eBlast newsletter with 35,000+ subscribers, and the AFRO Votes voter education initiative.
Revenue is generated across five streams: digital and print subscriptions (tiered at $40/year digital-only, $100/year print+digital annual, $10/month print+digital monthly), recurring monthly donations through givebutter.com/AFRO133 ($5/$13/$33 monthly tiers plus one-time gifts), display advertising, corporate event sponsorships (notably the annual Juneteenth Breakfast), and merchandise sales via AFRO Mall. Distribution is omnichannel: afro.com, print mail delivery, email newsletter, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), and community events (AFRAM festival, Juneteenth). The company participates in the Word In Black collaborative content network alongside other Black-owned newspapers.
The Afro American Newspaper firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Afro American Newspaper
- Legal name
- The Black Media Authority
- Website
- https://afro.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1892
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Afro American Newspaper is a 133-year-old, family-owned Black media publication serving Black communities in the mid-Atlantic. It operates digital and print news via afro.com, subscription products, e-commerce, event ticketing, and civic engagement under The Black Media Authority brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Afro American Newspaper industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Newspaper Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community, Ethnic & Multilingual News Publishers (MPAJADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- National & General-Interest Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAA)
Keywords
Where The Afro American Newspaper is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Afro American Newspaper business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Digital Subscriptions: Annual digital subscriptions providing full website access, digital content, partner discounts, and email briefs.
- Print Subscriptions: Combined print and digital annual subscriptions with additional benefits including exclusive virtual event access, AFRO products, partner discounts, and annual web/social announcements.
- Print Monthly Subscription: Monthly print and digital subscription option for flexible access.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations through official partner site givebutter.com/AFRO133. Monthly donation tiers ($5, $13, $33/month) supporting newsroom operations, community reporting initiatives, and journalist training.
- Advertising: Display advertising and sponsorship opportunities on afro.com and in print editions.
- Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events such as Juneteenth Breakfast, with sponsors including Associated Black Charities, BGE, GBMC, Roland Park Place, and SECU.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full digital access for $40/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Print and digital combined annual subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly print and digital subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Donation tiers supporting independent Black journalism |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Afro American Newspaper product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Afro American Newspaper is a Black-owned news publication founded in 1892 that delivers culturally relevant journalism to African American communities across the Mid-Atlantic region. It operates a digital news platform (afro.com), a print newspaper, paid subscriptions (digital, print+digital annual/monthly), a free email newsletter, an e-commerce merchandise store (AFRO Mall), and a community events platform (AFROtix). The publication covers Baltimore, Washington D.C., Prince George's County, national, international, sports, arts and entertainment, business, and opinion content.
Product overview
AFRO American Newspapers is a Black-owned news media organization that has been publishing for over 133 years. The company operates a digital-first news platform (afro.com) with both free and subscription-based access to news content covering national news, international news, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Prince George's County, sports, arts & entertainment, business, and opinion. The product portfolio includes subscription offerings (Digital Annual at $40/year, Print & Digital Annual at $100/year, Print & Digital Monthly at $10/month), the AFRO Mall e-commerce store, the AFRO Events ticketing platform (AFROtix), a free newsletter with 35,000+ subscribers, the AFRO Votes election coverage hub, and the Word In Black collaborative content network. The organization is powered by Newspack.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AFRO Mall: E-commerce marketplace for Black-owned products and merchandise
- AFRO Events
Products and services
- AFRO American Newspapers (afro.com) A digital and print news publication serving Black communities, providing coverage on national, international, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Prince George's County, sports, arts and entertainment, business, and opinion content.
- Digital Annual Subscription Full access to afro.com plus digital content and partner discounts for $40/year, targeting individual readers seeking online-only access.
- Print & Digital Annual Subscription Full access to afro.com plus print editions, email briefs, AFRO products, exclusive virtual event access, partner discounts, and annual web/social announcements for $100/year.
- Print & Digital Monthly Subscription Full access to afro.com plus both digital and print editions, email briefs, AFRO products, exclusive virtual event access, partner discounts, and annual web/social announcements for $10/month.
- AFRO Mall An online merchandise store featuring AFRO-branded apparel, accessories, and swag products for purchase by readers and supporters.
- AFRO Events / AFROtix An event ticketing platform for AFRO-sponsored community events and gatherings, including the AFRAM festival and Juneteenth celebrations.
- AFRO Newsletter (Daily eBlast) A free daily e-blast newsletter delivering the latest news on Black communities, with over 35,000+ subscribers.
- AFRO Votes An election coverage hub providing voter registration tools, candidate endorsements, election calendars, and voting information for Maryland and D.C. elections.
- Word In Black A collaborative content network with other Black-owned media outlets, amplifying Black journalism across multiple platforms.
Quantifiable outcome
- One of only 200+ year old Black newspapers in America, with documented impact on community engagement and civic participation
Companies that use The Afro American Newspaper
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Afro American Newspaper technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Afro American Newspaper partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- givebutter.com/AFRO133coreOfficial donation platform partner for tax-deductible contributions to support AFRO's mission. Donors can contribute through givebutter.com/AFRO133.
- Associated Black CharitiescoreSponsor of AFRO's fourth annual Juneteenth Breakfast 'Stewards of Legacy' event at Baltimore Museum of Industry.
- BGEcoreSponsor of AFRO's fourth annual Juneteenth Breakfast event.
- GBMCcoreSponsor of AFRO's fourth annual Juneteenth Breakfast event.
- Roland Park PlaceminorSponsor of AFRO's fourth annual Juneteenth Breakfast event.
- SECUcorePresenting sponsor of AFRO's fourth annual Juneteenth Breakfast. SECU Maryland's James Toby Smith emphasized company's commitment to illuminating predatory practices and leading by example in the industry.
- SECUcorePresenting sponsor of Associated Black Charities' Teen Financial Literacy Summit, providing starter deposits for attendees to open financial accounts.
- Word In BlackcoreAFRO participates in Word In Black consortium, a partnership of Black-owned newspapers for expanded content sharing and Black media advocacy.
- NewspackcoreAFRO's website is powered by Newspack, an open-source publishing platform for news organizations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Afro American Newspaper competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- New York Amsterdam News: Historic African American newspaper serving the New York Black community with local news, opinion, and features. Comparable regional-heritage Black newspaper brand with a similar community-serving editorial mission and digital evolution.
- Chicago Defender: One of the most prominent historic African American newspapers in the United States, now operating in digital and event formats serving Black communities. Highly comparable to AFRO as a legacy Black-owned newspaper brand transitioning to a multi-product community media model.
- The Philadelphia Tribune: The oldest continuously published African American newspaper in the U.S., serving a regional Black community with print, digital, and event products. Closely comparable to AFRO in heritage, mission, and product mix.
- Atlanta Daily World: Long-running African American newspaper covering the Atlanta metro Black community with digital and print products. Comparable as a regional Black-media brand serving a specific mid-to-large Black population.
- Los Angeles Sentinel: African American newspaper serving the Los Angeles Black community with coverage of local news, politics, and culture. Directly comparable as a heritage Black community newspaper with a city-level geographic focus.
- The Sacramento Observer: Family-owned African American newspaper serving the Sacramento region, with a similar operating profile and community-news focus. Comparable in scope and ownership model to AFRO's mid-Atlantic community newspaper.
- Houston Defender: African American newspaper serving the Houston Black community with local news, opinion, and community programming. Comparable as a heritage regional Black newspaper targeting a single major metro market.
Broad incumbents
- Blavity: A digital media company focused on Black culture and millennials, with a portfolio of editorial brands and a Creator Network. Comparable as a multi-product Black-focused media brand, but operating at digital scale rather than legacy print.
- The Root: Digital publication covering Black news, culture, and politics under G/O Media. Comparable as a Black-targeted editorial brand competing for the same audience and advertiser dollars, but with broader national reach and digital-first infrastructure.
Emerging players
- Word In Black: A collaborative content network of Black-owned newspapers that AFRO participates in, designed to expand reach and amplify Black media voices. Comparable as a peer network participant and indirect competitor for digital Black-media audience share.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Afro American Newspaper social profiles
Digital presenceThe Afro American Newspaper financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Afro American Newspaper leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Afro American Newspaper funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Afro American Newspaper M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Afro American Newspaper
What does The Afro American Newspaper do?
The Afro American Newspaper is a Black-owned news publication founded in 1892 that delivers culturally relevant journalism to African American communities across the Mid-Atlantic region. It operates a digital news platform (afro.com), a print newspaper, paid subscriptions (digital, print+digital annual/monthly), a free email newsletter, an e-commerce merchandise store (AFRO Mall), and a community events platform (AFROtix). The publication covers Baltimore, Washington D.C., Prince George's County, national, international, sports, arts and entertainment, business, and opinion content.
Is The Afro American Newspaper a public or private company?
The Afro American Newspaper is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Afro American Newspaper founded?
The Afro American Newspaper was founded in 1892. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Afro American Newspaper based?
The Afro American Newspaper is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Afro American Newspaper make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Digital Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are print Subscriptions, print Monthly Subscription, donations, advertising and event Sponsorships.
Who are The Afro American Newspaper's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are New York Amsterdam News, Chicago Defender, The Philadelphia Tribune, Atlanta Daily World, Los Angeles Sentinel, The Sacramento Observer and Houston Defender. Broad incumbents are Blavity and The Root. Word In Black is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Afro American Newspaper have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Afro American Newspaper.
What industry is The Afro American Newspaper in?
The Afro American Newspaper's product category is Newspaper Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAG, Community, Ethnic & Multilingual News Publishers, with a secondary code of MPAJADAA, National & General-Interest Newspapers (Print & Digital). Its NAICS code is 513110 and its SIC code is 2711.