The Founder, Julius Carter
December 7, 1914 - January 18, 1971

Julius Carter founded The Houston Forward Times in 1960 as a means of uniting Black Houston to overcome the obstacles that were holding us in the shackles of second class citizenry. Mr. Carter realized that we could only overcome in unity, and needed a mechanism to communicate our needs to each other; hence came The Forward Times.

Mr. Carter passed away in 1971 after building Forward Times into the third major newspaper in Houston -- a weekly, only behind the two dailies.   Forward Times had truly become the voice of hope for Black Houstonians.

The Forward Times reported on the dramatic events of the 1965 Voting Rights, and sadly covered the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King.  It was our duty then, as it is now, to keep the community informed of the true issues that affect our lives with a Black perspective.

We covered the rise of the Movement in the 1960s and are struggling today to keep the community informed of the Movement's decline during the 1980s and 1990s.

Julius Carter instilled in us a pride and commitment to the community that no other newspaper in town embodies.  We are willing to report the hard truths about what is happening to our community on the local, state and national level.

Forward Times was born during a time of dire need for African Americans living in Houston and across America.  Today, we pledge to continue to be a beacon on the hill and shine the light of truth for our community to march forward  with the times.

That is what Julius Carter expected of us when he lived, and it is the mandate he left us to carry on.

We pray we are deserving to walk in his footsteps.

The Publisher, Lenora Carter

Lenora "Doll" Carter is CEO, managing editor and publisher for the Houston Forward Times newspaper, the south's largest independently owned and published African-American newspaper. Forward Times was founded in January 1960 by her late husband, Julius Carter, at which time Mrs. Carter served as General Manager and Advertising Director. After Julius' death in 1971, Mrs. Carter became publisher and CEO of the company.

Lenora graduated from McNary High School in McNary, Arizona and attended Arizona State University majoring in Business Administration.

Mrs. Carter is a member of Eta Phi Beta Sorority-XI Chapter, National Association of Market Developers, National Women of Achievement, National Newspaper Publishers association, Texas Press Association, Greater Houston Partnership, stockholder and presently serves on the Board of Directors of Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. She served as Secretary of National Newspaper Publishers Association for eight years and also served on the Board of Directors of NNPA. She served on the Board of Directors of Riverside National Bank, Riverside General Hospital, Eliza Johnson Home for the Aged, Society for Performing Arts, Independent State Bank, UNCF and YMCA. She is an active member of Holman Street Baptist Church where Rev. Manson Johnson is Pastor.

Mrs. Carter's accomplishments have earned her numerous awards: Publisher of the Year (NNPA), NAACP Mickey Leland Humanitarian Award, Black Women in Journalism for Outstanding Accomplishment and Achievement in the Communication Industry (Pioneer Award), Alma Newsom Vision Award, NAMD Emphasis Award, Houston Medical Forum Recognition Award, Robert S. Abbott Award, Anheuser Busch W,I.S.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement as Publisher & Community Leader; Fred D. Patterson Leadership Award, Illustrious Potentate's Distinguished Service Award Doric Temple #76, Ethel Ransom Art and Literary Outstanding Leadership, National Association of Media Women, United Fund Outstanding Achievement in Media, Challenge of Change, Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, Houston League of Business and Professional Women in Achievements, Eta Phi Beta Outstanding Leadership, St. Joseph Volunteer Service Award, Texas State Teachers Association Dedicated Service Award, San Jacinto Girl Scout Merit Award, TSU Tennis Club Leadership Award, as well as South Post Oak Little League Outstanding Sponsorship.

She was recently awarded the Toombs-Brown Award from Professional Black Women's Enterprise, Inc., and the "Pace Setter" Award from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Gamma Phi Sigma Chapter and received the 2002 National Council of Negro Women Pacesetters Award.

Lenora Carter was born in Corrigan, Texas. She is the mother of two daughters, Constance Yvette and Karen Yvonne. She has three grandchildren -- Jesse, Chelsea, and Nykayla.