The Greenwood Institute for Media and Strategic Communications (The Greenwood Institute) is an independent, community and partner-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan institute committed to preserving the -195-year legacy of the Black-owned press dating back to the prosperous, one-square-mile of the Historic Greenwood District community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in pursuit of chronicling the issues affecting African Americans locally and globally.

The Greenwood Institute for Media and Strategic Communications’ mission is to amplify the narratives and voices of the African American community and be a change agent to develop scalable solutions, groom, train and empower Black and diverse communities of media contributors that examine the important topics across Tulsa’s news ecosystem and to apply the noted effort globally.

The Greenwood Institute achieves its mission by offering structured programming that objectively establishes and reinforces the historic context and significant role of media contributors and strategic communication within Black communities; providing a gateway for archival research; facilitating skills development training, mentoring and coaching; and providing guidance for the monetization of content.

A grassroots engagement program that facilitates community access to important local and regional policy issues through print, online, and social media; public events; and conferences. Our program introduces participants to public channels; information sources and points of engagement critical to building awareness of news and information about the Greater Tulsa Metropolitan Area.

Launch Application

Quality, in-depth reporting remains the fundamental value proposition between local news organizations and their audiences. The Greenwood Institute will sponsor the development of journalism content – in partnership with The Oklahoma Eagle and other media outlets – that provides a public-benefit for the communities it serves.

Launch Application

Recognizing that local communities are the lifeblood of society, the Institute will provide programming to help develop a new, diverse pipeline of journalists – and future journalism newsroom leaders – to report on issues, events, people and policies related to diversity and equity.

Launch Application

The Greenwood Institute achieves its mission by offering structured programming that objectively establishes and reinforces the historic context and significant role of media contributors and strategic communication within Black communities; providing a gateway for archival research; facilitating skills development training, mentoring and coaching; and providing guidance for the monetization of content.

Launch Application

Founder

A native of Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District, Goodwin is an attorney and an award-winning publisher of the century-old The Oklahoma Eagle, one of the 10 oldest African American-owned newspapers in the United States. In his legal career, he was co-plaintiff against the State of Oklahoma, resulting in legislative reapportionment immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court’s declaration of one-man vote rule. He initiated the first desegregation lawsuit in the City of Tulsa resulting in school desegregation; and he was co-counsel in litigation resulting in Tulsa’s new city council form of government. He successfully challenged before the U. S. Supreme Court and Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals the constitutionality of a state statute and city ordinance regarding freedom of speech and was co-counsel in the matter of reparations for victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. In the 1970s, he laid the foundation to preserve Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District, famously known as America’s “Black Wall Street,” with his initiative the “Greenwood Market Community.” He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Tulsa College of Law.

President

A native of Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District, he is 36th year of storytelling, Goodwin got his start in journalism as a 16-year-old writer after he penned a column for The Oklahoma Eagle. He is a fourth-generation journalist and has served as a newspaper boy, mailroom handler, circulation route manager, production assistant, photographer, copy editor, page designer, reporter, bureau chief, editorial page writer and editor while working at The Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, The Middletown (Ohio) Journal, The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., The Courier-Journal in Louisville, USA Today, The Ithaca (N.Y.) Journal and the Eastern Oklahoma Catholic newspapers. He is a graduate of Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Vice President

Jerry Goodwin, MBA, is an assistant professor at Tulsa Community College and is a former adjunct professor in graduate studies in marketing at the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Research at Langston University-Tulsa. Over the last 20 years, he has taught courses in journalism and digital media, communications, and business. He currently is a board member of the City of Tulsa/Rogers County Port of Catoosa and is a recent board appointment to the Circle Cinema Foundation. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in law and policy from Northeastern University (Boston).

Secretary

A veteran brand architect, Ross has successfully built digital social brands that continue to outpace the growth, reach and engagement of peers as the founder of Willoughby Avenue. His brand development expertise has been well-embraced by national brands and organizations including The Oklahoma Eagle, Local Media Association (LMA), Above COVID and Allegory Allegory. As the Creative Director of The Oklahoma Eagle, Ross works collaboratively with leadership to guide the print and digital design direction of the brand’s products.