Alvin Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alvin Brown
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Member of the National Transportation Safety Board | |
| In office March 13, 2024 – c. May 6, 2025 |
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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 | December 15, 1961 Beaufort, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Santhea Brown |
| Education | Jacksonville University (BA, MBA) |
Alvin Brown (born December 15, 1961) is an American politician from Florida. He served as the mayor of Jacksonville, from 2011 to 2015. As a member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American to be elected to that important position.
Brown became mayor after winning the 2011 mayoral election. He took over from John Peyton. In the 2015 election, he tried to get re-elected but lost to Republican Lenny Curry. Earlier in his career, Brown worked as an advisor for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He later became a member of the National Transportation Safety Board.
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Early Life and Education
Alvin Brown was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, on December 15, 1961. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1981. He attended Edward Waters College and then Jacksonville University. At Jacksonville University, he earned both his bachelor's degree and his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. While studying at Edward Waters, Brown joined the Delta Psi chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
Public Service Career
Alvin Brown has had a long career in public service. He started as an intern for Bill Nelson when Nelson was a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Working in Government
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 served as an advisor to Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo was the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, which is a government department that helps with housing and city development. Brown held several other important roles in the Clinton administration. These included working at the United States Department of Agriculture and helping lead White House groups focused on community development.
After his time in the Clinton administration, Brown continued to work in various leadership roles. He was an executive at Jacksonville University's Davis School of Business. He also led foundations and served as chairman of the board for the National Black MBA Association.
Mayor of Jacksonville
In 2011, Alvin Brown decided to run for mayor of Jacksonville. The current mayor, John Peyton, could not run again because of term limits. Many people thought Brown was unlikely to win the first election, called the primary. However, he came in second place, which meant he would face the leading Republican candidate, Mike Hogan, in a final election.
On May 17, 2011, Brown won against Hogan by a very small number of votes. This election was called the closest mayoral race in Jacksonville's history. With this win, Brown became the first African American ever elected Mayor of Jacksonville. He was also the first Democrat to be elected mayor there since Ed Austin in 1991. This victory was a big surprise, especially because the Republican Party had gained a lot of support in the 2010 elections. Brown officially became mayor on July 1, 2011. He ran for re-election in 2015 but lost to Republican Lenny Curry.
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 plane crashes or train derailments. On July 12, 2023, a Senate committee approved his nomination. The full Senate confirmed him on March 8, 2024. He was then promoted to Vice Chair of the NTSB on December 20, 2024.
On May 5, 2025, Brown was removed from his position by the Trump administration. This happened more than a year before his term was supposed to end. No specific reason was given for his removal. It is very unusual for a sitting NTSB board member to be removed. His removal happened during a time when there were more concerns about aviation safety.
Personal Life
Alvin Brown met his wife, Santhea, while he was living in Washington, D.C. They are married and have two sons named Joshua and Jordan.
