Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Francis was the editor and publisher of the Tropical Dispatch, hosted Miami's first black affairs radio show, and was a coordinator of a training and job placement program for youths. Francis was the youngest of five children of the Revernd and Mrs. Richmond Francis. He graduated from Stanton High School in Jacksonville, Florida, where he served as class president from the ninth through the twelfth grades. He then graduated from Edward Water Junior College as class president. In 1937, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from then Florida Agricultural & Mechanical College, FAMC (now Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, FAMU)  in Tallahassee. Shortly after graduating from FAMC, he went to work as a printer for the Miami Journal. Two years later he became the editor of the Tropical Dispatch, which was then published by influential civic activist James E. Scott. Francis became publisher of the Dispatch when Scott died in 1948. At the Dispatch Francis's philosophy was to educate Miami's black and white communities to the plight of Black Miami during the dark days of segregation. He also hosted the first regularly scheduled black affairs radio show in Miami.

In 1949, he became the first of two black coordinators of Diversified Cooperative Training in Dade County. Working with students from Dorsey and Jackson high schools, he was responsible for placing blacks in jobs throughout the city. In 1954, he earned a Master's degree in Guidance from New York University. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., former president of Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, former Vice-President of Dade County Retired Teachers' Association, King of Clubs, Inc., and a former member of the Masons, Elks, and Shriners. He was also an originator and one of the first chairmen of the Miami-Dade Model Cities Program.