By Rosetta Miller-Perry
Recently, I woke up to some terrible news. My mentor, Dr. T.B. Boyd, III, who hugely influenced me in the publishing field had passed away.
I’ve never met someone as impressive, smart and grounded as my friend.
It is not that common to have had a friend as well as a mentor who shared similar interests and business goals.
We were originally brought together by our friend, Francis S. Guess, because of T.B.’s expert knowledge in publishing. I quickly began to absorb information about how his company was founded and survived. I was so impressed with his views and perspectives along with his wealth of knowledge on how to intertwine publishing with family dynamics.
I will always remember our in-depth conversations about Black newspapers and how to survive racism by advertising agencies.
Dr. T.B. Boyd, III, carved his name in our hearts, not on a tombstone. His legacy is etched right now in our minds with all the stories we shared about his glorious life. He had that winning smile for everyone who somehow crossed his path.
My friend has died and taken his place, inside of heaven within its glorious space.
Yes, now my friend is gone, and so many are mourning his loss. I am grateful that we had a long friendship. Even now I remember him talking about the life he lived and the friends he had.
One of his last words he quoted to me a few years ago was his favorite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quote: “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
Moving Forward my Friend,
Rosetta Miller-Perry
