The Oklahoma State Senate ushered in some historic reverence Monday, with Senate Resolution 13 honoring media pioneer and community stalwart Russell M. Perry. According to a release from the State Senate, Senator Shane Jett, R-Shawnee laid down the foundation, presenting the resolution that spotlights Perry's bedrock contributions to the state's media landscape and various strategic boards.
Perry, the man behind The Black Chronicle and the helm of Perry Publishing & Broadcasting now commands Oklahoma's largest independent radio group. His reach, however, extends farther into the realms of business and civic service – his hands shaped not just the narratives within Oklahoma’s media but its financial arteries, through positions on the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority, the Oklahoma Industrial Finance Authority and, the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority, among several business and banking councils.
Senator Jett's presentation underscored an overdue recognition. Russell M. Perry not only held a nomination as the state's Secretary of Commerce in 1999, a nomination set forth by Governor Frank Keating, but he also carved a path as the first African American in Oklahoma history nominated for such an esteemed seat. "Today we declare that Russell M. Perry is, indeed, an Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and we thank him for his unwavering dedication, tireless service, and profound impact on our state’s growth and success," stated Senator Jett, as reported by the Oklahoma State Senate's press release.
In 1999, Perry's appointment to the cabinet position did not blossom into official confirmation by the Senate, a detail that the resolution now ceremonially rectifies. Perry, alongside family, friends, and the original nominator of his cabinet position, Governor Keating, watched on as the State Senate bestowed upon him the long-delayed recognition. Indeed, with this act, the Oklahoma legislature acknowledges not just the roads traversed by Perry in amassing such an impactful career, but asserts, a righting of historical oversights.
