OK SR13

Oklahoma State Senate formally recognizes Russell M. Perry, born in 1939 in Oklahoma City, who overcame homelessness at age 12 during the Jim Crow era to become a prominent businessman and journalist

Founded The Black Chronicle in 1979, which became Oklahoma's largest weekly newspaper, and established Perry Publishing & Broadcasting, now the largest African American broadcasting company in the nation

Served as Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce in 1999 under Governor Frank Keating, becoming the first African American to hold that position in state history

Inducted into four halls of fame: Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, American Urban Radio Network Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and Oklahoma Hall of Fame

Adopted by the Senate on April 7, 2025