A handheld wireless communication device includes features to send and receive text messages. The handheld wireless communication device is further equipped with a microprocessor configured to run software programs on the device such as text message management program. The text message management program displays a listing of a plurality of received text messages on a display screen and color differentiates at least a portion of the display-listed plurality of received text messages based upon a characteristic common to each received text message. The characteristic common to each display-listed received text message may be a host name that is included in an identification code for the respective text message's sender.