Photo: The Tennessee Tribune
Nashville lost an amazing, powerhouse soul this week with the passing of Mrs. Rosetta M. Perry. Mrs. Perry paved the way for media to be reflective of all people by founding one of the only African American-owned newspapers in the South, The Tennessee Tribune. A paper that has stood the test of time, delivering news to communities across the South every week since 1991. From her work in public service with the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to founding the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Perry has always led the charge to ensure the African American voice was heard and respecte
As the founder of a local independent publication, I am thankful to have had a constant visual representation of what sustaining a successful media/publishing business looks like. I was also fortunate to be the recipient of the 2025 Les Gemmes Rosetta Miller Perry Literary Award for my work with Urbaanite Nashville. Being recognized by this prestigious organization where Mrs. Perry was a founding member was truly a moment I will always remember.
Through her decades of work, Mrs. Perry touched so many people. We had a chance to connect with a few special leaders to share the impact Mrs. Perry had on their lives. We hope you are able to gain added knowledge on why Mrs. Perry’s legacy will live on and glean encouragement to help keep you moving forward in your business and professional endeavors as she did for over 90 years
Sondrea Tolbert
Executive Director and Les Gemmes Nashville Chapter President
She was legendary not because she sought recognition, but because she lived with uncommon courage. She was bold enough to speak truth to power, wise enough to teach protocol with excellence, and strong enough to challenge each of us to become our best selves. She believed that leadership was not about titles but about service, integrity, and leaving every place better than you found it.
As a pioneering publisher, founder, civil rights leader, community advocate, and businesswoman, she ensured that our stories would be told with dignity and truth. As the “Queen Mother of Nashville,” she nurtured generations of leaders, entrepreneurs, journalists, activists, and dreamers. Her influence reached boardrooms, government halls, churches, classrooms, neighborhoods, and newsrooms, always calling us to higher ground.
To those of us privileged to know her as a Gemme, she was more than an icon, she was our mentor. She poured into us with wisdom, accountability, grace, and unwavering expectations. She challenged us to carry ourselves with excellence, honor our legacy, and never settle for mediocrity.
Cynthia Yeldell Anderson
Mrs. Perry was not just an entrepreneur and businesswoman; she was an amazing journalist. She was heavily involved in the content of her newspaper and was always on the lookout for news, whether through word of mouth from her broad network or from sources she had not only in Nashville but around the country.
I always admired her ability to find news from almost any source. She could find news in places no one else could. She would spot new information in routine communications such as emails, flyers and even advertisements that everyone else missed, and be the first to break the news.
She built the Tennessee Tribune into a voice for the community. She often featured commentaries and opinion pieces from people within the local community, giving them a platform to express views that aren’t covered by more mainstream media.
Through the Tennessee Tribune, she reported not just on local issues impacting civil rights and the Black community, but she championed civil rights issues for all minority communities. She grew the Tribune into more than just a local newspaper. She covered national issues and reached a national and international audience. Her readership extends far beyond Tennessee.
It’s also important to note that Ms. Perry’s legacy and vision for the Tennessee Tribune is to showcase Black excellence. She was a strong supporter of HBCUs, both in Tennessee and nationally, and continuously covered stories that would not otherwise have been told.
Jason Luntz
Some of my greatest memories with Mrs. Rosetta Miller-Perry happened far beyond the walls of The Tennessee Tribune. I had the privilege of traveling with her to National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) conferences in Atlanta, Houston and even the Bahamas. Looking back, I realize every trip was a lesson in leadership. No matter where we went, people knew her, respected her and admired what she had built.
Those trips taught me lessons no classroom ever could. Mrs. Perry showed me that journalism is about serving people, entrepreneurship is about building something that serves generations, and true leadership is about opening doors for others. Watching her lead one of the nation’s most respected Black newspapers inspired me to become not only a better journalist, but also a better entrepreneur. I’ll forever be grateful that she believed in me and allowed me to be part of her incredible journey.
Monchiere Holmes-Jones
Rosetta Miller Perry was a force of power, purpose, and unwavering conviction. She didn’t just protect our community. She strategically shaped its future long before many could see what was possible.
She was a publisher, a truth teller, a mentor, and a visionary whose life deserves the kind of telling reserved for the biggest screens. Her story is nothing short of extraordinary.
Her friendship transformed my life and my legacy forever. Her last words she ever spoke to me were, “I just miss the action.”
I pray I live a life so full of purpose, service, courage, and impact that when my work here is finished, I can honestly say I only “missed the action” because I spent every day fully engaged in it. Thank you my girl for showing us what fearless leadership looks like. Your work continues through all of us who were blessed to witness it. Your legacy will never stop calling us into action.
Photos provided by featured community leaders.
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