Cornell William Brooks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cornell William Brooks
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| President and CEO of the NAACP | |
| In office May 2014 – June 2017 |
|
| Preceded by | Lorraine Miller (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Derrick Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1961 (age 63–64) El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | Jackson State University (BA) Boston University (MDiv) Yale University (JD) |
Cornell William Brooks (born in 1961) is an American lawyer and activist. He is well-known for leading the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as its president and CEO. He held this important role from May 2014 to June 2017. Before joining the NAACP, Brooks was the president of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. He also served as the executive director of the Fair Housing Council of Greater Washington.
Brooks also worked as a senior lawyer for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). There, he led the FCC's Office of Communication Business Opportunities. He was also a trial lawyer for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. In 1998, he ran for U.S. Congress in Virginia's 10th District as a Democratic candidate. Brooks has also helped two New Jersey governors when they were starting their terms.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Cornell William Brooks was born in El Paso, Texas, in 1961. He grew up in Georgetown, South Carolina. As a child, he was part of the Head Start Program.
Brooks attended Jackson State University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in political science with high honors. Later, he studied at the Boston University School of Theology. There, he earned his Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree. He focused on social ethics and theology. While at Boston University, he was a Martin Luther King Scholar. He received awards for his excellent studies and for promoting peace between different groups.
He also earned a J.D. degree from Yale Law School. At Yale, he was a senior editor for the Yale Law Journal. He was also a member of the Yale Law & Policy Review.
Career Highlights
Brooks started his legal career working for Chief Judge Sam J. Ervin, III. This was at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In Washington, D.C., he led the FCC's Office of Communication Business Opportunities. He also served as the executive director of the Fair Housing Council of Greater Washington.
He continued his work as a trial lawyer for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice. In these roles, he helped achieve one of the largest government settlements for people who faced housing discrimination. He also filed the government's first lawsuit against a nursing home for housing discrimination based on race.
Brooks's grandfather, Rev. James Edmund Prioleau, was also an activist. In the 1940s, he ran for Congress in a symbolic effort. His goal was to encourage more Black people to register to vote and join the NAACP. Following in his grandfather's footsteps, Brooks ran for U.S. Congress in Virginia in 1998.
Before leading the NAACP, Brooks was the president and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. After his time at the NAACP, he took on several roles in higher education. He was a visiting professor at Boston University. He was also a visiting fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is currently a Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership and Social Justice at Harvard Kennedy School. Brooks also often shares his views on CNN.
Leading the NAACP
Becoming President
The NAACP's executive board chose Cornell William Brooks as their new chief executive on May 16, 2014. His appointment came during a challenging time for the organization. Brooks aimed to strengthen the NAACP. During the 2014 NAACP convention, he called for the organization to have "one million members strong."
Taking Action for Justice
In October 2014, Brooks began a "Justice Tour." It started in his hometown of El Paso, Texas. The tour aimed to encourage people to vote and discuss social justice issues in their communities. He also led a 7-day "Journey for Justice" march in Missouri in 2014. This march went from Ferguson, where Michael Brown was killed, to Jefferson City. The march faced tough weather and some challenges. However, the activism in Missouri helped lead to the Ferguson Police Department being held accountable for racial profiling.
In the summer of 2015, the NAACP continued its "Journey for Justice." Staff, volunteers, and supporters marched over 1,000 miles from Selma, Alabama, to Washington, D.C. This long march highlighted the urgent need for voting rights and police reform. It helped bring together many groups to support new voting rights laws.
In 2016, the NAACP led a large protest at the Capitol. Nearly 300 groups joined, representing millions of members. They called for the Voting Rights Act to be restored. This demonstration was very important for the 2016 election.
In January 2017, the NAACP protested against the nomination of Jeff Sessions. Brooks and five other NAACP activists held a sit-in at Senator Sessions' office in Alabama. This was one of the first major acts of peaceful protest against the new presidential administration. Brooks later testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee at Sessions' confirmation hearing.
Working for New Laws
Under Brooks's leadership, the NAACP focused on changing laws. They worked on criminal justice reform. After the death of Michael Brown, the NAACP successfully pushed for the Missouri Municipal Fine Law. They also advocated for federal guidelines against racial profiling. To address the issue of many people being in jail, the NAACP worked to pass "Ban-the-Box" laws. These laws help people with past convictions get jobs. Another important law they supported was the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Legal Victories
The NAACP's legal team achieved many important wins under Brooks. They won eleven major cases against voter suppression in about a year. For example, the NAACP Texas State Conference helped save over 600,000 votes. The NAACP North Carolina State Conference saved nearly five percent of voters. This happened when a court ruled that the state's voting laws unfairly targeted Black voters. Just before Election Day, the NAACP also stopped nearly 4,500 voters from being removed from the North Carolina voter lists.
After children were affected by lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan, the NAACP took action. They organized protests and filed a federal lawsuit against Michigan and its governor. This was done to help the residents and businesses in Flint.
Media Presence
During Brooks's time, the NAACP's presence in news and social media grew. Brooks often appeared on news shows like CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.
He was also praised for how he handled a situation involving Rachel Dolezal. She was a former NAACP chapter president who was accused of misrepresenting her racial background. Brooks focused on the NAACP's main mission. He said, "our focus must be on issues not individuals." This helped the organization stay focused on its important work for civil and human rights.
End of His Term
On May 19, 2017, the NAACP national board decided to change leadership. They explained that this was part of a "systemwide refresh." The goal was to make sure the organization was ready to face new challenges to civil rights. In October 2017, Derrick Johnson was named the next president and CEO of the NAACP.
Personal Life
Cornell William Brooks is a fourth-generation minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He felt called to join the ministry while attending Jackson State University. There, he met his wife, Janice. They have two sons, Cornell II and Hamilton. Brooks is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
