Guide to the Homer S. Brown Papers, 1918-1977 AIS.1978.08
Arrangement
Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Homer S. Brown Papers
Creator
Brown, Homer S.
Collection Number
AIS.1978.08
Extent
6.25 Linear Feet(10 boxes)
Date
1918-1977
Abstract
Homer S. Brown became a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association in 1923. He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1934 and became the first African-American appointed to the Pittsburgh Board of Education (1943), and elected (1949) as Allegheny County Judge. He served as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County from 1956 to 1975. The Papers of Homer S. Brown consist of biographical material, correspondence from his political and judicial career, photographs, and articles and speeches written by Brown.
Language
English
.
Author
John Thompson. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in September 2000.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System Archives & Special Collections Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman) Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Biography
Homer Sylvester Brown, born in Huntington, WV, on September 23, 1896, was educated at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA, and received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1923. In his lifetime Judge Brown also received honorary Doctor of Law degrees from Lincoln University, Virginia Union University, University of Pittsburgh, and Virginia State College.
Brown became a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association on October 26, 1923, and in 1934 he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. During Brown's tenure in the House (1935-1950) he authored the State Fair Employment Practices Act. In 1943 he was voted the most able member of the House by the Capital News Correspondents' Association.
In 1943 Brown was the first African-American appointed to the Pittsburgh Board of Education, and in 1949 he became the first African-American to hold the position of Allegheny County Judge. In 1956 he was elected to the Court of Common Pleas and remained until 1975 when poor health forced his retirement. On the bench Brown was best known for his 1968 decision that the City of Pittsburgh's tax on hospitals, known as the "sick tax", was unconstitutional, a decision upheld by higher courts. Another historic decision came in 1973 when he ruled that prayers could be offered at graduation ceremonies. This decision was upheld by the United State Supreme Court.
Brown also served many private organizations, most notably as first President of the Pittsburgh Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons; the Centre Avenue (Pittsburgh) YMCA, where he chaired the Board of Directors; and the Board of Trustees of Virginia Union University. He also served on the White House Commission on Education (1955) and the Governor's [PA] Committee on Education (1960). Judge Brown died at his home in Pittsburgh on May 22, 1977.
Scope and Content Notes
The papers of Homer S. Brown contain materials documenting his legal and political career. Types of materials include correspondence, photographs, articles written by Brown, biographies and interview transcriptions, newspaper clippings about Brown's achievements,; newspaper clippings about his wife, Wilhelmina Byrd Brown, and her achievements; and twenty-three bound volumes of photocopies of his papers held by Virginia Union University.
The papers of Homer S. Brown are divided into nine series, more information about the individual series is available below in the contents list.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
This collection was a gift to the Archives Service Center from Wilhelmina Byrd Brown in 1978 and 1980.
Previous Citation
Homer S. Brown Papers, 1918-1977, AIS.1978.08, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
Homer S. Brown Papers, 1918-1977, AIS.1978.08, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Processing Information
This collection was processed by John Thompson on March 20, 1990.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Anna Maria Mihalega on September 20, 2000. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 1415522
Copyright
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Existence and Location of Originals
Series I of the Papers of Homer S. Brown contains a copy of the transcription of an interview conducted as part of the Pittsburgh Renaissance Oral History Project. A recording of this interview can be found in AIS.1973.24. Series IX of the Papers of Homer S. Brown are photocopies of original papers that are on deposit at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Va.
Subjects
Corporate Names
Pennsylvania. Court of Common Pleas (Allegheny County)
Pennsylvania. General Assembly. House of Representatives
Virginia Union University (Richmond, Va.)
White House Conference on Education (1955 : Washington, D.C.)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Pittsburgh Branch
Personal Names
Brown, Wilhelmina Byrd
Brown, Homer S.
Marshall, Thurgood -- Correspondence
Genres
Legislators
Other Subjects
African American lawyers -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
African American legislators -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
African American judges -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
Politics
Social action
Personal papers
African Americans -- Civil rights -- Pennsylvania
African Americans -- Employment -- Law and legislation -- Pennsylvania
