Byrd Brown facts for kids

Byrd Rowlett Brown (1929–2001) was a brave activist and lawyer. He was a key leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He is famous for helping African Americans and poor people in Pittsburgh. He did this during his many years as president of the Pittsburgh Branch of the NAACP. He also did important legal and community work.

For example, he led a march against Duquesne Light. This was to protest unfair hiring rules. His work led to training programs for African Americans. These programs helped them join trade unions. Byrd Brown used his education to fight for fairness, not just to get rich. Former NAACP president Harvey Adams said, "Pro bono was his middle name." This means he often worked for free to help people.

He ran for Congress in 1970. He also ran for mayor of Pittsburgh in 1989. Reverend J. Van Alfred Winsett III said that even though Brown faced racism, he always acted with respect and never with hate. Brown passed away on May 3, 2001, from emphysema.

Early Life and Education

Byrd Brown was the only child of two very important people. His mother, Wilhelmina Byrd Brown, was a civil rights activist. His father, Homer S. Brown, was the first black judge in Allegheny County. Homer Brown also started the Pittsburgh NAACP. He was its president for 24 years.

Byrd's mother spent 50 years helping the public. His grandfather, Reverend William Roderick Brown, was a well-known preacher in Pittsburgh. Byrd's father, Homer Brown, was part of the Pennsylvania legislature. He wrote a law called the Pennsylvania Fair Employment Practices Act. This law was one of the first in Pennsylvania to stop discrimination in public places. At that time, many companies would not hire people because of their race, religion, or where they came from.

Byrd Brown grew up in a wealthy area of Pittsburgh called Sugar Top. This area was in the Hill District. The Hill District was a very important center for African-American life in Pittsburgh. Over time, the quality of life in the Hill District improved. But this often meant that African Americans were forced out of their homes. This happened because property prices went up, and unfair practices like redlining made it hard for them to stay. This process is called gentrification.

Byrd Brown was the first black student to be the quarterback for his high school football team. He was also one of the first black children to attend Camp Kon-O-Kwee at the YMCA. He became the first Black counselor-in-training there. But he was never allowed to be a full counselor because of racial objections. He finished Schenley High School in 1947. Then, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1955. He served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956.

Fighting for Civil Rights

Byrd Brown was a major leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He worked alongside Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Tom Murphy, who was the Mayor of Pittsburgh, said that Byrd Brown was an African American who bravely stood up against huge hate and unfairness. He said it takes special courage to do that.

Important Events He Organized

In the 1960s, Brown helped plan big meetings at Forbes Field. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at some of these events.

In 1963, he helped lead a train trip to the famous March on Washington.

In 1967, Brown organized a march of 5,000 people in downtown Pittsburgh. They marched to the company Duquesne Light. They wanted better jobs and protested unfair hiring rules for African Americans. After the march, Duquesne Light started hiring African American workers.

In 1968, Brown was a co-chairman for the Spring Mobilization for Peace. In 1969, he was the main speaker at a Moratorium Day rally in Pittsburgh.

Brown also organized protests against many companies and organizations. These included Mine Safety Appliances, Gimbels, Kaufmann's, Hornes, the Pittsburgh Board of Education, Sears Roebuck, and the University of Pittsburgh. He protested at construction sites to demand more jobs for black workers. During one protest, police beat Brown and sprayed him with mace. Because of Brown and other activists, the Pittsburgh Plan was created. This plan was a national example for training black people for construction jobs.

Black Monday Protest

Byrd helped organize the Black Monday protest. This protest was held at U.S. Steel corporation's new building. It was to speak out against unfairness in construction jobs.

His Work with the NAACP

Brown was the president of the Pittsburgh NAACP from 1958 to 1971.

Helping Others for Free

Brown often gave money to Hand in Hand, a group that gave college scholarships. City Councilman Sala Udin remembered a time in the 1960s when police stopped him and other civil rights workers. They were driving back to Pittsburgh from Mississippi. Officers arrested Udin after finding a pistol in their car. Udin called Brown from jail. Udin said, "Byrd came to Kentucky and got us out of jail."

Brown gave a lot of money to college scholarships and groups that helped the poor. For example, in the 1970s, when Warner Cable came to Pittsburgh, Brown made sure local charities got company stock. According to Reverend Leroy Patrick, his church received $300,000 when Warner Cable was later sold.

Legal Help for Free

Former NAACP president Harvey Adams said that Brown would do a great job for any client. He didn't care if they had money or not. Brown filed successful civil rights lawsuits against unfair housing practices. He represented Oswald Nickens, a black doctor. This doctor was stopped from buying property in Stanton Heights until Brown helped him with a lawsuit.

Politics and Later Life

In 1970, Brown ran for the United States Congress. In 1989, he ran for mayor of Pittsburgh. He said he was running "as a citizen and as a black man—in that order." His slogan for mayor was "Byrd is the word." In 1991, Brown debated William Bradford Reynolds about affirmative action. Brown argued that affirmative action is a way to help African Americans get fair chances. He said it is not more unfair than other laws.

Awards and Special Recognitions

In 1989, Brown received the Yale Club of Pittsburgh Distinguished Alumni Award. This award honors people who have helped improve their community. Brown was only the second person to ever receive this award.

In 1991, Brown gave the main speech at the Alle-Kisi memorial service for Martin Luther King Jr..

Byrd Brown received the Drum Major for Justice Award in 2000. This award was from the Homer S. Brown Law Association. It honored his work for civil rights. The association's president, Carl G. Cooper, said that Byrd fought bravely for civil rights, often by himself. He called Brown a hero.

Brown had his own law office in downtown Pittsburgh. It was one of the first black-owned businesses in the area. In 1995, the Allegheny Bar Association and the Homer S. Brown Law Association recognized Brown. They honored him for being one of the first 40 African American lawyers in the United States.

In 2011, Brown was given the Spirit of King Award after he passed away. This award celebrates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It honors those who have continued his work. Eric Wells of the Port Authority said Brown shared King's spirit of dedication to freedom and fairness. This award honored Brown's impact on the community. It also reminded everyone to keep working together for fairness in the future.

Groups He Belonged To

Byrd Brown was a member of the NAACP, Pittsburgh chapter. He was also its president from 1958 to 1971. He was on the board of the Pittsburgh Foundation. He was also the chairman of Freedom Unlimited and the Health Advisory Council of Community Action Pittsburgh (CAP).

His Passing

Byrd Brown passed away on May 3, 2001. He died from emphysema and problems after a lung transplant.