William H. Brown III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Brown
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| Chairperson of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | |
| In office May 5, 1969 – December 23, 1973 |
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| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Clifford Alexander |
| Succeeded by | John Powell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 19, 1928 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Temple University University of Pennsylvania |
William H. Brown III (born January 19, 1928) is an American lawyer. He is known for his important work in fighting for fair treatment in jobs. In 1963, he became a partner at Norris Schmidt Green Harris Higginbotham & Brown. This was Philadelphia's first law firm owned by Black lawyers.
President Lyndon Johnson chose Brown to join the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 1968. Later, President Richard Nixon made him the Chairman in 1969. He was the fourth person to lead the EEOC. He served in this role from May 5, 1969, to December 23, 1973.
William Brown's Early Life and School
William H. Brown III was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to Temple University and finished in 1952. Then, he studied law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, graduating in 1955.
After law school, he started working as a lawyer on his own. At that time, it was very hard for African-American lawyers to join big, well-known law firms. So, William Brown and other Black lawyers started their own firm. Many people believe this was the first law firm in Philadelphia owned by African-Americans. It was called Norris Schmidt Green Harris Higginbotham & Brown.
Brown also worked for the City of Philadelphia. He was a Deputy District Attorney and led the Fraud unit. This means he helped investigate and prosecute cases involving dishonesty.
Leading the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson asked William Brown to join the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC is a government agency that works to stop unfair treatment in jobs. Its goal is to make sure everyone has a fair chance at work, no matter their race, gender, or background.
In 1969, President Richard Nixon chose Brown to be the Chairman of the EEOC. He was the fourth person to hold this important position. He led the EEOC until December 23, 1973.
During his time as Chairman, the EEOC became much stronger. It took big steps to fight against job discrimination. For example, the EEOC tried to get involved in a case with AT&T, a large phone company. The EEOC argued that AT&T's unfair hiring practices might make phone services cost more.
Brown also helped the EEOC get more power to enforce laws against discrimination. He also helped set up five new offices across the country. These offices were in Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Denver. Each office had many lawyers ready to help people who faced unfair treatment at work.
William Brown's Career After the EEOC
After leaving the EEOC, William Brown went back to working as a private lawyer. As of 2016, he was still practicing law at a firm in Philadelphia. He is very well-known for his knowledge about job discrimination laws.
He also became an expert in solving problems without going to court. This is called "alternative dispute resolution." He has worked as a mediator, helping people find agreements. He has also been an arbitrator, making decisions to settle disagreements.
In 1985, William Brown was chosen for a very important job. He led a special investigation in Philadelphia. This commission looked into the 1985 MOVE bombing, a serious event in the city's history.
