Chester Arthur Franklin (1880-1955) founded The Call newspaper in May 1919. It was owned and operated by him until his death on May 7, 1955.

Born on June 7, 1880, Chester Franklin was the only child of George F. Franklin, a barber, and Clara Belle Williams Franklin, a teacher. He was born at the time when African Americans were moving out of Texas in search of better educational opportunities for their children.