The Tennessee Tribune family mourns the passing of its founder, publisher and chief executive officer, Rosetta Miller Perry, who passed away Friday, June 26, 2026. She was 91.
A trailblazing publisher, civil rights pioneer and entrepreneur, Perry dedicated her life to ensuring the stories, achievements and voices of Tennessee’s African American community were told with accuracy, dignity and purpose. Before founding the Tennessee Tribune, she spent more than 25 years in public service, including working for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and serving with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
In 1991, after being unable to secure financing from local banks, Perry invested $70,000 of her personal savings to launch the Tennessee Tribune. Under her leadership, the newspaper grew into one of Tennessee’s most influential Black-owned newspapers and a trusted voice for civil rights, community advocacy and Black-owned businesses. She later moved the newspaper’s headquarters to historic Jefferson Street, establishing its permanent home in the heart of Nashville’s historic Black community.
She was also founder of the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce and Nashville’s Les Gemmes.
The work Ms. Perry began more than three decades ago will continue. In the coming days, the Tennessee Tribune will publish additional stories celebrating her extraordinary life, enduring legacy and immeasurable contributions to journalism, civil rights and the communities she loved.
Funeral arrangements and additional information will be shared as they become available.
