Changing the text color

Best trick is you copy content layout file from android.R.layout.simple_list_item_multiple_choice and make your own layout(my_list_view and edit the xml file and change the text color.

adapter = new ArrayAdapter(this,my_list_view, listItems);

Edit save this file as my_list_view;

<CheckedTextView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@android:id/text1"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="?android:attr/listPreferredItemHeight"
    android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge"
    android:gravity="center_vertical"
    android:checkMark="?android:attr/listChoiceIndicatorMultiple"
    android:paddingLeft="6dip"
    android:paddingRight="6dip"
    android:background="#FFFFFF" //white background
    android:textColor="#000000" //black color text
/>

android:textColor="@android:color/white"

You can set it in the XML layout:

<TextView 
 ...
 ...
 android:textColor="#FF0000" >
 </TextView>

Or programmatically:

textview.setTextColor(Color.RED);
//textview must be defined in your class