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 was born on January 19, 1928. He is an American lawyer who has done important work in the field of equal rights. In 1963, he became a partner at a law firm in Philadelphia. This firm, Norris Schmidt Green Harris Higginbotham & Brown, was the first law firm in Philadelphia owned by Black lawyers.
Later, President Lyndon Johnson chose Mr. Brown to join the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 1968. The EEOC is a government agency that works to stop unfair treatment in jobs. In 1969, President Richard Nixon made him the Chairman of the EEOC. He was the fourth person to lead this important commission. He served as Chairman from May 5, 1969, until December 23, 1973.
Early Life and Education
William H. Brown III was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to Temple University and finished his studies there in 1952. After that, he studied law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, graduating in 1955.
After law school, he started working as a private lawyer. At that time, it was very hard for African-American lawyers to join big, well-known law firms. So, Mr. Brown joined with other African-American lawyers. Together, they created what many consider Philadelphia's first law firm owned by Black lawyers. This firm was called Norris Schmidt Green Harris Higginbotham & Brown. Mr. Brown also worked for a while as a Deputy District Attorney for the City of Philadelphia. He was in charge of the Fraud unit.
Leading the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
President Lyndon Johnson first appointed William H. Brown III to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 1968. The next year, in 1969, President Richard Nixon chose him to be the Chairman of the Commission. 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 made big progress in fighting unfair treatment in jobs. The Commission worked to make sure everyone had a fair chance at work. For example, the EEOC tried to get involved in a case about telephone service prices. They argued that unfair practices by AT&T were making phone services more expensive.
Under Mr. Brown's leadership, the EEOC also gained more power to enforce its rules. This meant they could do more to stop discrimination. They also set up five special centers across the country. These centers were in Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Denver. Each center had many lawyers ready to help fight job discrimination.
Later Career and Achievements
After leaving the EEOC, William H. Brown III went back to working as a private lawyer. As of 2016, he was still working at a law firm in Philadelphia called Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP. He is very well-known across the country for his work in stopping job discrimination.
He also became skilled in a process called "alternative dispute resolution." This means helping people solve problems without going to court. He has worked as a mediator for the Federal District Court in Pennsylvania. He has also been an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.
In 1985, Mr. Brown received an important recognition. He was chosen to lead the Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission. This group looked into the events of the 1985 MOVE bombing.
