2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 169
Commending the Richmond Free Press.
Agreed to by the Senate, March 5, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
WHEREAS, the Richmond Free Press , a beloved and influential weekly newspaper with a mission to empower the Black community in Richmond by serving as a voice and platform for underserved perspectives, published its final edition in February 2026, concluding a distinguished 34-year print run; and
WHEREAS, after several years in the newspaper industry and as a professor at Howard University, veteran journalist Raymond H. Boone, Sr., returned to Richmond in 1991 and set out to create a newspaper that would encourage free expression about public policy and inspire readers to become more active in civic life; and
WHEREAS, serving as the paper's editor and publisher, Raymond Boone published the first edition of the Richmond Free Press on January 16, 1992, then led the paper until his death in 2014, at which point his wife, Jean Patterson Boone, took over as publisher; and
WHEREAS, in pursuit of its mission, the Richmond Free Press asked local leaders tough questions as it delved into serious matters affecting the community, including economic inequality, workplace discrimination, and criminal justice reform; and
WHEREAS, the Richmond Free Press flourished over the years and grew to have a readership of 135,000 and a circulation of more than 35,000; and