and community leader, John P. Franklin Sr. John says, “one of the highest compliments
I’ve ever received was when Mr. Franklin told me how proud he was of how my family was running the newspaper.”
of Tennessee at Chattanooga. An active leader in the historic Nashville Sit-ins also organized the Freedom Bus Riders
who risk their lives in Alabama and Mississippi.
Generational wealth is often understood as the transfer of money, property, investments, businesses, and financial assets. And those matter.
But wealth also takes another form: the passing down of purpose, knowledge, influence, relationships, institutions, and responsibility. That’s the three-generation story of the Edwards family and the Chattanooga News Chronicle.
The foundation was laid by Rev. John Loyd Edwards Jr., whose ministry and civil rights work reflected a commitment to education, opportunity, history, and service. His interest in the remarkable life of Mary Hardway Walker–born into slavery and celebrated for learning to read at more than 100 years old–helped inspire the work that became the Mary Walker Historical and Educational Foundation.
That first generation did something essential: it created a legacy around values.
Rev. Edwards did not simply tell his children that literacy, history, service, and community empowerment were important. He worked, sacrificed, and built institutions around those convictions, even to the point that the Edwards home was firebombed in December 1969. In doing so, he transformed belief into something that could be inherited.
The second generation, led by John L. Edwards III, carried that inheritance into journalism. Through the newspaper that grew from the Chattanooga Courier in 1989 into the Chattanooga News Chronicle, Edwards, with his wife Faith at his side as writer and editor, helped establish, expand and sustain a Black-owned institution dedicated to telling the stories of Black Chattanooga.
That matters.
A community that does not own institutions capable of recording its history, recognizing its accomplishments and challenges, and articulating its concerns must depend on others to decide which stories deserve to be told.
Ownership changes that equation. John Edwards, III enhanced his family’s legacy.
For almost four decades, the Chronicle has represented more than a newspaper. It has been a repository of local history, a platform for civic engagement, a chronicler of Black achievement, and a family-owned institution capable of shaping public conversation.
Now a third generation, including Adrian Edwards and Nikita Edwards-Brown, carries the work forward. Adrian introduced computer technology and modernized the CNC as co-publisher and key in the digital transition. Nikita is chief financial officer and took responsibility for financial and daily operations.
Their participation represents the critical difference between inheritance and generational wealth. Inheritance is what one generation leaves behind. Generational wealth is what the next generation is equipped to understand, steward, strengthen, and eventually pass forward once more.
That model deserves greater attention within the Black community and all communities!
Too often, successful businesses and institutions disappear with their founders. Children may inherit property or money but not the relationships, knowledge, discipline, vision, or sense of responsibility that made the enterprise successful.
The Edwards family demonstrates another reality.
The first generation established values and service. The second built institutional influence and ownership around those values. The third is positioned to modernize, preserve, and extend that influence.
That is generational wealth in its fullest form. The strongest generational wealth does not simply enrich descendants. It strengthens communities.
The Edwards story shows what happens when family continuity and community responsibility reinforce one another.
One generation plants. Another builds. The next protects and expands. And an entire community becomes wealthier because the family chose to build something meant to last. Happy 38th Birthday, News Chronicle! Your beauty is in your amazing story!
Chattanooga News Chronicle Team Family PROFILES WHO WE ARE
Camm Ashford is a freelance writer and Featured Journalist with the Chattanooga News Chronicle. A University of Tennessee, Knoxville graduate with a degree in Communications and Creative Writing, Camm has spent years telling stories that inform, inspire and give voice to others.
After working as a writer and editor for a weekly newspaper in Knoxville, she relocated to Chattanooga. In 2019, she reached out to the Chattanooga News Chronicle about freelance opportunities, beginning a relationship that has grown into being part of the CNC family.
Today, Camm enjoys covering the people, events and stories that make the Chattanooga community special. When she’s not writing, Camm enjoys traveling, cheering on the Tennessee Vols and Dallas Cowboys, and working on her next novel or short story.
Adrian J. Edwards joined the CNC family as a contributing writer in 2014. In addition to the CNC, he writes for the American Diversity Report, The Douglas County Sentinel, Blackmarket.com, The Augusta County Historical Society Bulletin, The Boro Newsletter, Medium and Substack. He co-founded the 26 Tiny Paintbrushes writer’s guild and is a founding member of the “On Their Shoulders We Stand” African American research and development team.
Over the years Terry’s columns have focused on issues on race, religion, gender and culture and profiles on little-known leaders in African American history, primarily women like 15-year old Barbara Johns who led a protest in Virginia that resulted in school desegregation being outlawed by the Supreme Court and Daisy Bates, a Black-owned newspaper publisher who risked her life during the Little Rock Nine school desegregation crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.
Faith R. Edwards took early retirement in 2001 after years of service as an administrator and human resources training professional at a local utility. In 2005, she reluctantly joined John and Adrian as the Chronicle’s executive editor. With her background in administration, executive-level training, and secretarial work, the transition into the role was a natural one. Her responsibilities include reviewing every article published in the newspaper to ensure consistent quality, as well as selecting and placing local, regional, and national stories on topics such as business, health, politics, stories of interest and progress for people of color.
When asked why she described herself as “reluctant” to join the family business, she replied, “Do you know our dominant personalities? My husband and I are like fire and gasoline. Going to work for my husband did not seem like the best idea. I was afraid I would be both fired and divorced. We were happily married, and I was trying to stay married.”
After an enormous number of prayers and plenty of pillow talk, he asked her to come work with him—not for him—and thus began her journey with the Chronicle to assist where needed as well as to propel its vision, legacy, and provide support to her husband.
Faith participates in community service efforts and advocacy for empowerment of black women and girls through memberships and volunteerism in local and national organizations. She enjoys travel to exotic and warm destinations, dancing, girls’ trips, cooking and baking only when she wants to do so; and hosting a cooking show and skydiving are on her bucket list!
Nikita Edwards-Brown joined the Chattanooga News Chronicle in February 2025 as Billing Officer and was recently promoted to Chief Financial Officer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Community and Public Health and a Master’s degree in Public Health Administration. With expertise in business management, financial oversight, federal and state grant administration, public health administration, and quality management, Nikita is proud to bring her professional experience to the family business while contributing to the Chronicle’s continued growth, sustainability, and legacy.
For Nikita, serving the Chronicle is more than a professional role; it is an opportunity to help carry forward a family legacy built on perseverance, service, and a commitment to amplifying the voices of the community. Following in the footsteps of her father, Founder and CEO John L. Edwards III, she considers it both an honor and a responsibility to preserve the foundation built over the past 37 years while helping position the Chronicle for continued success for generations to come.
In addition to her role with the Chronicle, Nikita serves as Southeast Regional Manager for the HIV Public Health Initiative, bringing more than 20 years of experience in public health, program administration, quality management, and regulatory compliance. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to strengthening programs, promoting accountability and quality, and advancing the health and well-being of the communities she serves. Outside of her professional roles, Nikita enjoys mentoring youth, playing tennis and racquetball, reading, line dancing, and participating in public health and community outreach initiatives/outreach.
Terry Howard Most recently Howard’s writings have focused on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, on politics, primarily on the importance of urging people to VOTE during the upcoming midterm elections and beyond.
Among his recent columns, he cites as one of his most important is the one that highlighted the disturbing decline in the number of Black-owned newspapers in the United States.
Like TV personality Steven A. Smith, NBA Hall of Famer Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and the Honorable Luis Farrakhan, Terry is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University.
A proud father of two and grandfather of six, he is a resident of Douglasville, GA with his wife Karen. Formerly the Global Director of Diversity at Texas Instruments, Terry is the recipient of the Diversity Champion Award by the National Association of Black Engineers, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award and third place winner of the Georgia Press Award.
has been part of the Chattanooga News Chronicle for more than 32 years, serving in a variety of roles and helping advance the newspaper’s mission and presence in the community. A seasoned publishing executive, community leader, and advocate for literacy and education, Edwards brings more than three decades of experience in publishing, sales, management, marketing, and community engagement. He began his newspaper career in 1993 and has served as Publisher of the Chattanooga News Chronicle since 2008, overseeing operations, branding, advertising, and community engagement.
Beyond publishing, Edwards serves as Executive Director of the Mary Walker Historical & Educational Foundation, where he helps carry forward the organization’s longstanding commitment to literacy, education, history, and community advancement. His civic involvement has included service with Generation Hope, the Chattanooga Opportunity Center, and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Edwards studied marketing at Alabama A&M University. His professional and civic work reflects a continuing commitment to preserving history, promoting literacy, and strengthening the Chattanooga community.
Yolanda Putman My connection to the Chattanooga News Chronicle goes back to the late 1980s, when I was an aspiring young journalist looking for opportunities to develop my writing. I used poems and articles published in Black-owned newspapers, including the Chronicle, as writing samples when I applied for an internship through Career Beginnings at The Chattanooga Times, which later became the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in communication, I returned to Chattanooga and spent nearly 20 years working at the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Throughout that time—and continuing to this day—I have contributed articles to the Chattanooga News Chronicle.
Today, I am a journalism and English teacher at The Howard School, where I encourage students to find and use their voices through writing. Last year, proceeds from stories I wrote for the Chronicle helped pay for a school bus that took Howard School juniors and seniors on a tour of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. The Chattanooga News Chronicle has been more than a place for me to publish. It has been a foundation for my growth as a journalist, and I am grateful that it continues to provide that same foundation and platform for future writers.
Reverend Dr. Ernest L. Reid, Jr., Senior Pastor of Second Missionary Baptist Church in Chattanooga, began the bi-weekly column, “The Shepherd’s Voice,” in the Chattanooga News Chronicle in May 2026.
The column, which has been a resounding success since its inception, is a platform to address issues of faith, community, and public life. His writings will continue to explore topics including government, business, education, and broader civic concerns, all through the lens of faith and moral responsibility. The column will also reflect the enduring role of the prophetic voice within the African American church tradition.
“In the Bible, the sons of Issachar are remembered because they understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do,” Reid said, referencing 1 Chronicles 12:32. “This ancient calling still resonates today. Our voices are to be more than pastoral–they must also be prophetic, speaking truth to power without fear or hesitation.” In addition “The Shepherd’s Voice” will aim to provide both encouragement and challenge.
“In a time marked by division, injustice, economic disparity, and the erosion of compassion, the Black prophetic voice remains essential,” says Dr. Reid. “It is a voice shaped by suffering yet anchored in hope–born in the hush harbors, the prayer meetings, the freedom marches, and a church tradition that refused to let oppression have the final word.”
Reid continued his theological education at The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, receiving a Master of Divinity, and later earned a Master of Theology with a concentration in Ethics from Union Presbyterian Seminary. He also holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Virginia Union University. Reid’s lovely and adorable wife is the former Sherelle Harris of Richmond, Virginia, and they are the parents of two sons, Ernest III and Noah Zachery.
Robin Smith is a freelance writer whose writing start was in technical writing for health care and life science research.
Robin’s background in healthcare, business, politics, and project management crafted her writing as a ghost writer for legislative members, a Member of Congress, a conservative editor of a newspaper, and cited authors.
As a ghost writer, Robin’s work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and in two book manuscripts: one published and the other currently in editing.
For years, Robin was a contributing opinion writer for the Chattanooga Times Free Press editorial page, the online news digest, the Patriot Post, and communications for business and political projects.
The Edwards family welcomed Robin’s writing into their leadership with the Mary Walker Foundation in the summer of 2022 which expanded into a weekly contributor for the Chattanooga News Chronicle.
The graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Stanford University in Certified Project Management has several writing projects in progress for causes and organizations.
Glenda Faye Stoudemire currently serves as Office/Distribution Manager for the Chattanooga News Chronicle. Her connection to the Chronicle began when she reached out to have an article published about a community organization in which she was involved. That initial experience sparked an interest in the newspaper and its role in serving the community, eventually leading Glenda to join the Chronicle team in 2018 as Office Clerk.
Since joining the newspaper, Glenda has developed a genuine sense of pride in the Chronicle’s history, mission, and longstanding role in preserving and sharing the stories of Chattanooga’s Black community. She brings an organized, dependable, and tenacious spirit to her work and has taken initiative in supporting the newspaper’s day-to-day operations, community presence, and relationships with clients and local businesses. From coordinating office responsibilities to helping develop branded paraphernalia and assisting with newspaper distribution, Glenda is always willing to lend a hand wherever needed.
A proud graduate of The Howard High School Class of 1976, Glenda is especially proud of her family. She is the mother of two adult children and the proud grandmother of eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, whom she holds near and dear to her heart. In her spare time, Glenda enjoys traveling, creating memories with her family, and, most of all, spending quality time with her great-grandchildren.
