Alvin Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alvin Brown
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Brown in 2024
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| Member of the National Transportation Safety Board | |
| Assumed office March 13, 2024 |
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| President | Joe Biden Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Robert L. Sumwalt |
| 7th Mayor of Jacksonville | |
| In office July 1, 2011 – July 1, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | John Peyton |
| Succeeded by | Lenny Curry |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Beaufort, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Santhea Brown |
| Education | Jacksonville University (BA, MBA) |
Alvin Brown is an American politician from Florida. He served as the mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, from 2011 to 2015. He was the first African American person to be elected to that important role. Brown became mayor after winning the election in 2011. He later lost his re-election bid in 2015 to Lenny Curry. Today, he is a member of the National Transportation Safety Board.
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Early Life and Education
Alvin Brown was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1981. He attended Edward Waters College and then Jacksonville University. At Jacksonville University, he earned two degrees: a bachelor's degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). While studying at Edward Waters, Brown joined the Delta Psi chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
Political Career and Public Service
Alvin Brown has had a long career in public service. He started as an intern for Bill Nelson, who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Working with Presidents
In the early 1990s, Brown worked with the team that helped President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore get started in office. He then joined the Clinton administration. He worked for Ron Brown at the United States Department of Commerce.
During the 1990s, he also advised important leaders like Andrew Cuomo, who was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Brown held several key positions in the Clinton administration. These included helping with community development and working on special projects for housing. He also co-chaired a White House task force focused on making communities better places to live.
After working for President Clinton, Brown continued to be involved in public service. He worked at Jacksonville University and led several foundations. In 2020, he was considered for a role in the Biden administration as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Mayor of Jacksonville
In 2011, Alvin Brown decided to run for mayor of Jacksonville. The current mayor could not run again. Many people thought Brown was not likely to win the first election. However, he came in second place. This meant he would face the leading Republican candidate, Mike Hogan, in a final election.
On May 17, 2011, Brown won the election by a very small number of votes. It was one of the closest mayoral elections in Jacksonville's history. This victory was very important because Alvin Brown became the first African American ever elected Mayor of Jacksonville. He was also the first Democrat elected mayor since 1991. His win was seen as a big surprise, especially because the Republican Party was very strong at that time. Brown officially became mayor on July 1, 2011.
In 2015, Brown ran for re-election but lost to Lenny Curry, a Republican.
National Transportation Safety Board
In August 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Alvin Brown to be a member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB is a government agency that investigates accidents in transportation, like planes, trains, and cars. On March 8, 2024, the U.S. Senate approved his nomination.
Personal Life
Alvin Brown met his wife, Santhea, while he was living in Washington. They have two sons named Joshua and Jordan.
