I grew up in Malden, Missouri, after arriving from Denver as an infant with my mother, Frances Jane Black. My grandparents, Ross and Florence Riggs, met us at the Cotton Belt Railroad depot, just blocks from the family home on South Madison Street. Malden, with its thriving farms, small industries, and the historic Malden Army Airfield, gave me a deep appreciation for community and service. My father, Allen Black, was publisher and editor of the Malden Press-Merit. He gave me my first column, David’s Doings, and sparked my lifelong love of storytelling. After graduating from Malden High School in 1965, I attended Southeast Missouri State College. In 1966 I was drafted to serve in the U. S. Army, I enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving ten years of active duty—including three tours in Vietnam as a combat veteran—and later as a plank owner of the USS Yorktown (CG-48). I was honorably discharged in 1987 as a First Class Operations Specialist and Enlisted Surface Warfare Petty Officer. I studied at Southern Illinois University–Carbondale and The Art Institute of Boston, where I pursued photography and film. ⸻ Professional Work For more than 50 years, I have been a professional photographer and creative producer. My career includes: •Photojournalist – 5 years at the Malden Press-Merit, an award-winning local newspaper •Photographique, Dallas, TX – Professional photographer - 5 Years • David Black Photography - 5 Years •Maldenite Production - Video Production Editor – 20 years •Maldenite Production - Website Designer & Creator – 20 years •Owner, Maldenite Productions, LLC – since 2007 •FAA Licensed Drone Pilot – 5 years • Adobe Graphics Specialist - 34 Years • Photographer - 55 Years ⸻ These experiences shaped the vision behind the Bootheel Beacon—a platform dedicated to keeping local stories alive and ensuring that the voices of Southeast Missouri continue to be heard. Preserving Malden Historical Museum of Malden, MO is the mission of this paper and to inform citizens of the Bootheel of Missouri, local and regional news fairly and honestly.