Thomas Brewer (activist) facts for kids
Thomas H. Brewer, Sr. (1894-1956) was an important African-American doctor. He was born on November 19, 1894, in Saco, Alabama. Dr. Brewer played a very important role in the Civil Rights Movement in Columbus, Georgia, during the early and middle parts of the 1900s. He worked hard for equal rights before he was killed in 1956.
Dr. Brewer's Life and Work
Thomas H. Brewer was born in Saco, Alabama. He went to Selma University in Selma, Alabama. Later, he studied at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, to become a doctor. In 1920, he moved to Columbus, Georgia.
Dr. Brewer became a respected doctor in Columbus. He was also one of the city's most important leaders in the fight for civil rights. He helped to end segregation in the Columbus Police Department. This meant that police jobs became open to people of all races.
He also helped start the local chapter of the NAACP. The NAACP is a group that works for equal rights for African Americans. Dr. Brewer also supported Primus King in a very important court case. He was also active in the Republican Party. He even went to a big national meeting for the party in Philadelphia.
Fighting for Voting Rights
On July 4, 1944, an African-American man named Primus E. King tried to vote. He was a registered voter. Mr. King went to the Muscogee County Courthouse in Columbus. He wanted to vote in the Democratic Party's primary election. But law enforcement officers stopped him from voting.
Dr. Brewer strongly encouraged Mr. King. He also gave him money to help with a lawsuit. This lawsuit was filed in federal court and was called King v. Chapman. The court made a very important decision. It said that stopping Black voters was against the law.
The U.S. Court of Appeals agreed with this decision. This ruling ended the "whites only" primary elections in the State of Georgia. This was a huge step forward for voting rights.
His Death and Legacy
Dr. Brewer had an office on First Street in Columbus. It was in the same building as the F&B Department store. Luico Flowers owned this store. In 1956, Dr. Brewer and Mr. Flowers saw a Black man being beaten by police outside the building.
Dr. Brewer and Mr. Flowers argued about what they saw. Dr. Brewer believed the police officer used too much force. Mr. Flowers disagreed. About a week later, on February 18, 1956, Mr. Flowers shot Dr. Brewer. Dr. Brewer died from his injuries.
About 2,500 people came to Dr. Brewer's funeral. It was held at the First African Baptist Church in Columbus.
Lillian "Bunky" McClung remembered Dr. Brewer's death. She was the daughter of Columbus's first African-American mayor, A. J. McClung. In an interview, she said Dr. Brewer had motivated people in the community to want more. She remembered her father getting the phone call about the shooting. She also said that many other Black doctors and businessmen left the city after Dr. Brewer's death. This included Dr. W.G. McCoo, his wife Dr. Mary McCoo, and their young daughter Marilyn McCoo.
A special marker was placed where Dr. Brewer was killed. It says he was a "fearless champion of the rights of his people." It also mentions his goal to make sure Black people could vote. This goal was achieved with the Primus King case in 1945.
Brewer Elementary School in Columbus is named after Dr. Brewer. This honors his memory and his work. Also, the Mayor of Columbus and the Governor of Georgia made a special announcement in 1989. They said that November 19 would be "Dr. Thomas H. Brewer, Sr. Day" in Georgia. This day celebrates his life and contributions.
