​

Advancing Understanding. Inspiring Leadership. Building Inclusive Communities.

​

Franklin Global, LLC is uniquely positioned to help organizations, institutions, corporations, nonprofits, and community leaders deepen their understanding of the complex history of race, culture, and equality throughout the United States and the Americas.

​

Founded in 2019 by renowned cultural historian, public scholar, and Managing Member, John W. Franklin, Franklin Global, LLC provides strategic guidance, educational programming, historical context, and thought leadership that help organizations navigate contemporary challenges through a deeper understanding of our shared past. Our work explores the interconnected histories and contributions of African Americans, Native Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans and other communities whose experiences have shaped the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the Americas.

A Legacy of Scholarship and Leadership

​

John W. Franklin's distinguished career as a historian, educator, and global authority on the American experience is rooted in a remarkable family legacy. He is the son of the late Dr. John Hope Franklin, one of the most influential historians of the twentieth century and a trusted advisor during the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Franklin's groundbreaking scholarship transformed the study of American history and helped shape national conversations about race, democracy, and equality.

​

The mission of Franklin Global, LLC is deeply informed by generations of resilience, leadership, and service. From Aurelia Whittington Franklin, a librarian and educator, to Buck Colbert Franklin, the pioneering attorney whose law office was destroyed during the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, the Franklin family's history reflects the enduring pursuit of justice, opportunity, and human dignity. Their stories inspire our commitment to helping organizations understand historical challenges while creating pathways toward a more equitable future.

​

Expertise Grounded in Experience

​

Co-founder and Managing-Member, Karen Roberts Franklin brings decades of experience across the healthcare, corporate, and real estate sectors. Influenced by her father, Dr. James E. Roberts, a physician, Karen developed an early understanding of patient care, business operations, and community engagement. Sylvesta Roach Roberts, Karen's mother was a civil servant, librarian, and engaged community member. James A. Roach, Karen's maternal grandfather published, edited and printed the Southern Indicator Newspaper inn Columbia, S.C. from 1903 to 1925. 

​

Throughout Karen's professional career, she has gained firsthand insight into the systemic barriers and disparities that have impacted African American communities across multiple industries.

​

Today, Karen serves as a trusted advisor and advocate for equity, helping organizations address complex business, workforce, and community challenges while fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.

​

Why Franklin Global, LLC?

​

Organizations today face increasing demands to understand the historical and cultural forces that continue to shape society, workplaces, educational institutions, and communities. From healthcare and housing to education, economic opportunity, and public policy, many of today's challenges are rooted in historical realities that remain insufficiently understood.

​

Franklin Global, LLC helps clients bridge that knowledge gap by providing:

​

• Historical and cultural education

• Strategic consulting and advisory services

• Leadership development and executive briefings

• Public speaking engagements and keynote presentations

• Community engagement and stakeholder facilitation

• Research-based analysis and historical interpretation

Our approach combines rigorous scholarship with practical application, making complex historical and cultural issues accessible, relevant, and actionable for audiences of all backgrounds and professional sectors.

​​

Our Mission

​

At Franklin Global, LLC, we believe that greater awareness leads to greater understanding, and greater understanding leads to meaningful change. Our mission is to empower organizations and individuals with the historical knowledge, cultural competency, and strategic insights necessary to navigate today's challenges and build stronger, more inclusive communities.

​

As conversations about race, identity, equity, and opportunity continue to evolve, Franklin Global, LLC serves as a trusted partner—helping clients connect the lessons of history to the opportunities of the future.

​

Together, we illuminate the past, engage the present, and help shape a more informed and equitable tomorrow.