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Nine Years of Black Media. A Birthday Reflection at 42.

They told us to forget Greenwood. I built a newsroom so we never would.

Hey Black Wall Street Times Family,

Today, I turn 42.

I’ve never been big on celebrating my birthday—aside from my 40th. I’ve never needed the gifts or the calls to feel love. For me, just waking up and being given another chance to live with purpose has always been enough.

And if you know me, you know everything I do is rooted in purpose.

Nine years ago, I founded The Black Wall Street Times in the heart of my home community—the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The grand opening of our newsroom in the historic Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma during the Centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

I didn’t just slap “Black Wall Street” on a brand to ride a wave. I named this publication with the intention to honor the legacy of the community that birthed me, and to make sure the world never forgets what happened here.

I wanted to correct the record about my community’s history.
To tell our story, our way.
To speak truth in a world that so often tries to silence Black voices and erase our history.

And in 2020, something shifted. Hollywood turned its lens toward Tulsa. Suddenly, people were listening. Our publication exploded onto the national stage—not because we chased trends, but because we stayed rooted in truth.

Nehemiah D. Frank founder, publisher & editor-in-chief boarding Air Force II with Vice President Kamala Harris

Since then, we’ve made history:

At times, it has felt like a dream.

None of that would’ve happened without you.
Without philanthropy, business partners, and hundreds of paid subscribers who believed in this mission when it was still just a seed.

Over the years, I’ve come to understand how powerful and transformational journalism can be. And I’m beyond grateful to God, to the universe, and to this community for inspiring me to start something that matters.

Nehemiah Frank and his cousin David are in front of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre mural in the historic Greenwood District.

So on my 42nd birthday, I’m not asking for a personal gift.
I’m asking you to support The Black Wall Street Times, so we can keep this publication free and accessible to the public, because access to critical information and opportunities should be a human right.

If you believe in what we’re building—if you believe in the power of independent Black media—please support our newsroom today.

We’re still here. Still standing. Still telling the truth.

And with your help, we’ll keep going.

With gratitude,
Nehemiah D. Frank
Founder & Publisher, The Black Wall Street Times


If The Black Wall Street Times has ever informed you, inspired you, or made you feel seen—become a paid subscriber today.

🎯 $8/month helps pay Black journalists to cover the stories others ignore.
🎯 $80/year powers independent, community-rooted reporting that holds power accountable.
🎯 $250/year makes you a Founding Member—an investor in the future of Black media.


This work isn’t easy. But it’s necessary.

And as long as I have breath in my lungs, I’ll keep doing it.

Because we’re not just telling stories—we’re building a legacy.
We’re not just reporting news—we’re making history.

Thank you for walking this path with me.

In truth and power,
Nehemiah D. Frank
Founder & Publisher, The Black Wall Street Times

Inside our very first newsroom

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