Dr. Frances Murphy Draper, CEO and publisher, The AFRO-American Newspapers, named this year’s Featherstone Changemaker Award recipient
Dr. Frances Murphy Draper, CEO and publisher, The AFRO-American Newspapers, has been named this year’s Featherstone Changemaker Award recipient by The William & Lanaea C. Featherstone Foundation. According to a release, this “prestigious prize recognizes an influential leader who drives social change and makes a positive impact in the community.”
Dr. Draper will be honored on August 9 at The University of Baltimore during the Featherstone Awards Ceremony, an annual event that showcases Baltimore’s most promising youth and promotes academic equity in higher education. During the Awards ceremony, 27 students will receive Featherstone College Scholarships to attend Coppin State University, Morgan State University, The University of Baltimore and other institutions.
“Dr. Draper is an iconic Baltimore trailblazer whose professional accomplishments, leadership and influence uphold the highest standards of excellence,” said Tameka Brown, executive director, William & Lanaea C. Featherstone Foundation. “She’s lauded as an influential business leader and a role model for our Featherstone Scholars.”
Earlier this year, Dr. Draper received The First Citizen Award, the State of Maryland’s highest honor given by the Senate. In 2023, The Baltimore Business Journal named Dr. Draper a “Power 10 CEO.”
Dr. Draper holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Morgan State University where she also served on the university’s Board of Regents for 25 years. She holds a Master’s degree in education from Johns Hopkins University; a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola University Maryland, and a master’s degree in business administration from The University of Baltimore. Draper also holds a doctorate in leadership from the United Theological Seminary.
