public class MailActivity extends ListActivity {

    String[] listItems = { "Compose", "Inbox", "Drafts", "Sent" };

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.mails);
        setListAdapter(new ArrayAdapter(this,
                android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, listItems));

    }
}

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:background="#FFFFFF">
    <ListView android:id="@android:id/list" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
    <TextView android:id="@android:id/empty" android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:text="Empty set" android:textColor="#000000" />
</LinearLayout>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- Definig a container for you List Item-->
<LinearLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<!-- Defining where should text be placed. You set you text color here-->
<TextView
android:id="@+id/list_content"
android:textColor="#000000"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="sample"
android:layout_margin="4dip"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
/>

</LinearLayout>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:background="#FFFFFF">
<ListView android:id="@android:id/list" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
<!-- REMOVED TEXT VIEW, AND KEEPING BACKGROUND WHITE -->
</LinearLayout>

setListAdapter(new ArrayAdapter<String>(
            this,R.layout.list_black_text,R.id.list_content, listItems));

ArrayAdapter<String> adapter=new ArrayAdapter<String>(
            this,android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, listItems){

        @Override
        public View getView(int position, View convertView,
                ViewGroup parent) {
            View view =super.getView(position, convertView, parent);

            TextView textView=(TextView) view.findViewById(android.R.id.text1);

            /*YOUR CHOICE OF COLOR*/
            textView.setTextColor(Color.BLUE);

            return view;
        }
    };
        /*SET THE ADAPTER TO LISTVIEW*/
        setListAdapter(adapter);

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>

<style name="ListFont" parent="@android:style/Widget.ListView">
    <item name="android:textColor">#FF0000</item>
    <item name="android:typeface">sans</item>
</style>

</resources>