Homer Sylvester Brown (September 23, 1896 – May 22, 1977) was an American judge, civil rights leader, and elected state representative in Pennsylvania. In a career of firsts, he was the first African American in a variety of leadership roles, including the first African American ever appointed to the Pittsburgh Board of Public Education and the first president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.[1][2][3][4]

Career

Brown was born in Huntington, West Virginia September 23, 1896.[citation needed] He graduated from Virginia Union University and received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1923.[1]

He was first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the Pittsburgh neighborhood known as the Hill District, in 1934. He served seven consecutive terms until 1950. During his tenure, Capitol news correspondents twice voted him "most able member" of the Pennsylvania House.[5]

Brown served as judge in the Allegheny County Court, as well as the Court of Common Pleas from 1950 to 1975, the first African American to be elected as a judge in the county.[6]

Personal life

Brown married Wilhelmina Byrd in 1927 and had a son, Byrd Rowlett Brown, who was also active in promoting civil rights.[7] Homer S. Brown died on May 22, 1977, in Pittsburgh.[3][2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Homer S. Brown Biography". www.acba.org.
  2. ^ a b "Homer S. Brown". The New York Times. 1977-05-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  3. ^ a b "HOMER S. BROWN". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  4. ^ Cunningham, Constance A. (1981). "Homer S. Brown: First Black Political Leader in Pittsburgh". The Journal of Negro History. 66 (4): 304–317. doi:10.2307/2717238. ISSN 0022-2992. JSTOR 2717238. S2CID 149552715.
  5. ^ "HOMER S. BROWN". The New York Times. 1977-05-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  6. ^ The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives (17 February 2021). "Homer S. Brown". On Second Consideration: Blog of the PA State House of Representatives Archives.
  7. ^ "Lawyer Byrd Brown dies; giant in civil rights struggle". old.post-gazette.com. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
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