Guy Brewer facts for kids

Guy Rollingsheim Brewer (born January 27, 1904 – died October 31, 1978) was an American politician. He served in the New York State Assembly from 1969 to 1978.

He was one of the first African-Americans to be elected to political office in Queens, a part of New York City. He was also the first African-American to serve as Majority Whip in the Assembly. This is a very important leadership role in government. After his death, a major road in Queens, New York Boulevard, was renamed Guy R. Brewer Boulevard to honor him.

Guy Brewer's Early Life

Guy Brewer was born in Georgia. By the 1930s, he worked as a real estate broker in Manhattan. He was also a leader in the Democratic Party there. He sometimes disagreed with other powerful politicians. He felt they were not fair to his district.

In 1941, he moved to Jamaica, a neighborhood in Queens. Many other African-Americans were moving there too. As a real estate agent, he wanted to help create a strong African-American community in the area. He became involved in Democratic politics again. He worked with other activists to help more African-Americans get involved in local government. At that time, all elected officials in Queens were white.

In 1964, Kenneth Brown became the first African-American elected official in Queens. He won a seat in the State Assembly for Jamaica. In 1968, Guy Brewer was elected to take Kenneth Brown's place. Brown had become a judge.

Serving in the New York State Assembly

As a member of the Assembly, Guy Brewer worked on many local issues. He stopped a plan by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build a special animal facility in St. Albans, Queens. He also stopped a plan to build a factory in Springfield Gardens. Neither of these projects were built.

He supported capital punishment, which is the death penalty. He also supported "open admissions" at the City University of New York. This meant more students could get into college. He believed that government programs should truly help people. He wanted to prevent neighborhoods from declining.

Later in his time in office, Guy Brewer faced health challenges. He worked to make a certain treatment legal in New York. Supporters believed it could help with serious illnesses. A bill to make it legal passed the state legislature. However, the governor, Hugh Carey, did not sign it into law. Guy Brewer and his supporters could not get enough votes to make it a law. He passed away shortly after, on October 31, 1978.

Personality and Lasting Impact

Guy Brewer was known for being witty and good at debating. He was married to Marie Brown Brewer. She was also a Democratic leader in Manhattan. She was the first African-American woman to be an elected district leader in Queens, New York. The couple lived in East Elmhurst, Queens.

In 1982, New York Boulevard was renamed Guy R. Brewer Boulevard. This road runs through Jamaica, Queens, and is about 3.7 miles long. It was renamed to remember his important work and contributions.