Veteran journalist and political analyst Roland Martin’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., is filled with vibrant paintings and prints by Black artists. But the one that speaks loudest is the large collage topped with bold, large letters that say #BlackOwnedMediaMatters.
Covering an entire wall, the piece displays front pages from various publications such as Jet, Ebony, Essence, the Pittsburgh Courier, Negro Digest, Savoy and the NAACP’s journal, the Crisis. There are logos from the first Black-owned TV station, WGPR in Detroit, and TV One, the cable channel where Martin anchored a daily news program.
It’s a legacy Martin wanted to follow when, in 2018, he launched his own streaming news show, “#RolandMartinUnfiltered,” aimed at Black audiences. Three years later, it became the flagship for his Black Star Network, which now has seven shows.
