Next week marks the 26th anniversary of the Richmond Free Press.

While we celebrate this important milestone, we also thank our wide and varied community of readers, advertisers and countless other supporters who have contributed to our success.

We remain dedicated to the vision and mission of our founder, the late Raymond H. Boone, who launched the first edition of the Free Press on Jan. 16, 1992, as an independent voice amid a landscape of newspaper monopolies. He believed Richmond needed “a strong gust of fresh air to vigorously fan the expression of ideas about public policy and, in the process, to encourage wide-open, uninhibited debate.”

Mr. Boone also expressed dismay for what he saw as a lack of respect for the First Amendment that he said had frustrated free expression in Richmond — especially in the African-American community. Because of that, the entire community suffers by “failing to allow society to benefit from thoughts and ideas of the people.”

He established the Free Press to reverse that “counterproductive situation” through a dedication to fairness and justice; to a willingness to stand against evil, including racism; to holding politicians accountable; and to working for the revitalization of Downtown.

As we enter our next year, the Free Press will go forward with the goal of building a better community guided by the journalistic principles of truth, integrity, free debate and justice, while placing a high value on quality.