Word In Black

What Word In Black does

Word In Black is a digital media company structured as a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), founded in 2021 by 10 of the nation's leading Black publishers to serve as a digital platform for journalism, research, and events focused on Black American audiences. The company operates as a virtual-first organization with no disclosed headcount, publishing daily editorial content across nine topic verticals (Health, Education, Politics, Religion, Justice, Climate, Culture, Opinion, Video) through a Newspack-powered website, email newsletters across multiple categories, and an active social presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky.

The product surface includes editorial journalism, the Insights & Research Division (which produces original national survey reports on topics such as organ donation, breast cancer screening, and racial healing), virtual events convenings, newsletter subscriptions, and the News is Out journalism fellowship program run in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal. The platform builds on the institutional legacy of the Black Press for editorial credibility and distributes content via syndication relationships with founding publishers including The Afro, Michigan Chronicle, Houston Defender, New York Amsterdam News, and Sacramento Observer.

Word In Black's business model combines audience-side donations and newsletter engagement with B2B revenue from corporate sponsorships, branded content, impact campaigns, research report sales, and ticketed or sponsored virtual events. The CEO and a Director of Revenue Development lead the B2B commercial motion directly, targeting corporations, foundations, and institutional partners seeking access to Black American audiences. Total funding raised is $2 million (undisclosed round), the organization won the 2026 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work — Journalism for its "On Borrowed Time" organ donation report, and it is actively hiring for CEO, Director of Development, and other senior roles, signaling a pivot toward data-driven insights and commercial products.

Name

Word In Black

Legal name

Word in Black, PBC

Website

https://wordinblack.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Word In Black is a Public Benefit Corporation operating a digital journalism, research, and events platform serving Black American audiences across nine topic verticals, founded in 2021 by 10 leading Black publishers and backed by $2 million in funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital News Media

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Periodical Publishers (513120), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health Communications, Risk Communication & Community Engagement (HLAJAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Equity Analytics & Disparities Measurement (HLACAHAK), Debates & Panel Discussions (MPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Black news media
• Digital journalism
• News research reports
• Virtual events media
• Newsletter publications

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Reports: Word In Black's Insights & Research Division produces original national survey research on Black America, selling both public service and commercial research reports. Two significant reports have been completed on organ donation/transplantation barriers and breast cancer screening, with the organ donation research winning a 2026 NAACP Image Award.
2. Branded Content & Impact Campaigns: Branded content, sponsored editorial packages, and impact campaign deliverables sold to commercial partners and underwriters as part of a sophisticated product portfolio including events and activation packages.
3. Sponsorships & Underwriting: Corporate sponsorships and underwriter relationships secured as part of the revenue engine, with the CEO leading partner relationships and contracting.
4. Virtual Events: Produced virtual planning sessions and convenings on topics such as Black maternal health, Black women's workforce participation, and breast cancer disparities. Events feature entrepreneurs, community organizers, and economic strategists and serve as a product line with ticketed or sponsored access.
5. Donations: Word In Black accepts donations from its audience through a 'Donate' mechanism on its website, supporting its public benefit mission of informing, empowering, and mobilizing Black audiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Word In Black is a digital media platform that publishes daily journalism across nine topic verticals and operates an Insights & Research Division producing original national survey reports on Black America. Its commercial offerings include branded content, impact campaigns, sponsorships and underwriter packages, research reports sold to institutional buyers, virtual events on issues such as maternal health and breast cancer disparities, and email newsletters.

Product overview

Word In Black is a national digital media brand positioned as 'Black America's Digital Daily,' operating as a platform-plus-services model. The core product is editorial journalism content across nine topic areas (Health, Education, Politics, Religion, Justice, Climate, Culture, Money, Opinion). This is supplemented by the Insights & Research Division producing original data reports, a virtual events program, and newsletter subscriptions. The organization was founded by 10 of the nation's leading Black publishers and produces sponsored content, branded campaigns, and research reports for commercial and public service purposes. The News Is Out fellowship program, run in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal, trains journalists to cover Black and LGBTQ+ communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Insights & Research Division: A division producing original national survey data and research reports on Black America, including reports on breast cancer, prostate cancer, racial healing, and organ donation.
• On Borrowed Time
• Unerased: Black Women Speak
• We Are the Resistance

Products and services

• Word In Black Daily Journalism Daily digital journalism and feature articles covering Health, Education, Politics, Religion, Justice, Climate, Culture, Money, Opinion, and Video topics focused on issues impacting Black America.
• Insights & Research Division Reports Data-driven research division producing original national surveys and reports on topics affecting Black America, sold as both public service and commercial research products.
• Virtual Events Produced virtual events, webinars, and live discussions featuring entrepreneurs, community organizers, and economic strategists on topics such as Black maternal health, workforce equity, breast cancer disparities, and racial healing.
• Newsletter Subscriptions Daily and weekly email newsletters delivering news, perspectives, and stories impacting Black America across categories including Climate, Money, Health, Education, Religion, and WIB Weekly News & Events.
• Racial Healing in Black America Report Original national survey report on how Black Americans define racial healing, where they experience the deepest harms, and what is needed to move forward.
• Breast Cancer Risks and Screening Barriers for Black Women Report Insights & Research Division report on breast cancer risks and screening barriers for Black women, with technical appendix and survey instrument examining risk, screening, and trust in care.
• On Borrowed Time Organ Donation Research Insights & Research Division series on barriers to organ donation and transplantation in the Black community, recognized with the 2026 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Journalism.
• Branded Content and Impact Campaigns Sponsored editorial packages and impact campaign deliverables sold to commercial partners and underwriters as part of the B2B revenue portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Word In Black won the 2026 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work — Journalism for its 'On Borrowed Time' organ donation research report.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• NAACPcoreOthers · 1 February 2026The NAACP awarded Word In Black's 'On Borrowed Time' project the 2026 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work — Journalism. Anissa Durham was the NAACP's first journalist ever recognized with this specific award. This recognition elevated Word In Black's credibility as a research-driven journalism outlet.
• News is OutcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024News is Out is a collaborative journalism network that co-produces content and programs with Word In Black. The partnership, along with Comcast NBCUniversal, launched a 16-journalism-fellow program to cover Black and LGBTQ+ communities, providing editorial support, funding, and programmatic infrastructure.
• Black Publisher Network (Founding Publishers)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWord In Black was founded by 10 of the nation's leading Black publishers, forming the core of its content and operational network. Publisher partners include The Afro, Michigan Chronicle, Houston Defender, New York Amsterdam News, and Sacramento Observer, who contribute and syndicate content while participating in revenue and audience development initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Grio: The Grio is a Black-focused digital news outlet covering politics, culture, and health for African American audiences. It is a direct competitor for daily news readership and advertiser demand in the same category as Word In Black.
• Essence: Essence is a major Black women's media brand spanning digital, print, and events. It overlaps with Word In Black's Black women-focused editorial verticals (Unerased, breast cancer coverage) and competes for branded content and event sponsorships.
• The Root: The Root is a long-standing digital publication covering news, culture, and politics from a Black American perspective. It competes directly with Word In Black for the same audience and advertiser base through daily editorial coverage and digital newsletters.
• Blavity: Blavity is a Black-owned digital media network reaching millennial and Gen Z Black audiences across news, culture, and lifestyle verticals. It competes for the same reader and advertiser segments and operates a similar multi-vertical digital model.
• Black Enterprise: Black Enterprise is a Black-focused media brand covering business, wealth, and entrepreneurship. It competes with Word In Black's Money/Workforce vertical for audience attention and corporate sponsorship dollars targeting Black American consumers.

Others

• Local Media Association: The Local Media Association is an industry association supporting local and independent publishers, including the Black publisher network that founded Word In Black. It functions as an ecosystem enabler and potential partner rather than a direct competitor.
• News is Out: News is Out is a collaborative LGBTQ+ journalism network that co-produces the Word In Black / Comcast NBCUniversal 16-fellowship program. It is a strategic partner rather than a competitor, but shares editorial mission and audience overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Vox Media: Vox Media operates a portfolio of digital news brands spanning general, technology, and culture coverage. It is a broad incumbent demonstrating the modern digital news + research + events model at scale that Word In Black is pursuing in a Black-audience vertical.
• NBC News: NBC News is the news division of Comcast NBCUniversal, Word In Black's flagship financial partner. It is a broad incumbent that covers Black America as part of a general audience portfolio and could be a natural enterprise-content buyer or syndication partner.

Emerging players

• 21Ninety: 21Ninety is an emerging digital media brand targeting Black millennial and Gen Z women across lifestyle, culture, and health. It overlaps with Word In Black's 'Unerased: Black Women Speak' and broader Black women-focused editorial verticals.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8s3Np4CR-Sw2KM3eXwqT1w
• Facebookfacebook.com/wordinblack
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/word-in-black
• Instagraminstagram.com/wordinblacknews
• TikToktiktok.com/@wordinblacknews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Word In Black