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Becoming A Master Student, Concise, Tenth Edition
Dave Ellis | | | |
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Ronald Harmon Brown, the first African American Secretary of Commerce for the US Department of Commerce, took office in 1993. Born on August 1, 1941, Brown came of age at a time when the country was entering an era of profound and volatile civil rights changes. In a life that would take him from New York to Washington, with significant stops in Vermont, Germany, Israel, and many other places, Brown would continually refine a discipline and self-awareness that would lead to his successes in the political world. His appointment as Secretary in the cabinet of then president Bill Clinton, after an election aided in large part by Brown in his role as (the first African American) Chairman for the Democratic Party, would have been another great achievement in a career that was sure to hold many more. However, an untimely death in a airplane crash in route from Bosnia to Croatia as part of a delegation of business leaders in 1996 cut that career short.
Brown was born in Washington, DC, the only son Bill and Gloria Brown. Both were recent graduates of Howard University, and at the time of Ron's birth Bill was one of two African Americans working in the Federal Housing and Home Financing Administration, a precursor to the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The family lived briefly in Boston before moving to New York in 1947. Though still working for the federal government at the time of the move, Bill left his post to take on the position of manager of the famous Hotel Theresa in Harlem. Catering exclusively to whites in the early times since it opened in 1913, over the years the clientele had shifted. At the time of the Browns' arrival it was one of the premiere establishments for the social elite in the African American community. The family kept a residence at the hotel, allowing a young Ron to associate with personages such as Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson, Langston Hughes, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Ralph Ellison, Duke Ellington, and Gordon Parks.
Growing up so close to figures at the center of the social movements of the 1940's and 50's had a profound effect on Brown's development. Spending his days after school roaming the halls of the Theresa, and spending nights mingling in cocktail parties hosted by his parents, afforded him a glimpse into the adult world of the radically shifting racial climate.
Life at home, however, was unstable for Brown. His father's carousing combined with a stressed financial situation brought on by ill-advised business scheming and a temperament which led to his being fired from his managerial post (though he would return after a short time), led to tension between his parents. In 1958, they separated and his mother began working as a sales clerk on Fifth Avenue. To gain employment, she had to pass as a white woman - a situation which was a source of embarrassment to her son, who had to sneak his visits to her at work.
After high school, Brown went on to attend Middlebury College in Vermont on a scholarship. At the beginning of his freshman year, he was the only African American in his class and one of only three in the school. Even though race was very much an issue for the administration and the residents of Middlebury (Brown was told to end his relationship with one white student whom he had briefly dated), he flourished socially, and was well liked by his fellow students.
Originally a biology and nursing student, Brown switched majors to Political Science after failing grades caused him to rethink his interests. In this new discipline, he found something about which he could be passionate, and his time at Middlebury did much to open his horizons. However, Brown had also joined the ROTC in college, and before he could move on to other pursuits after graduating, he had to first serve time in the Army.
In 1962, Brown completed basic training, and was married to Alma Arrington. He worked as a caseworker for the New York Department of Social Services and enrolled in St. John's University Law School. In March of the following year, he was called to active duty.
As with many occasions in his life, Brown's position in the Army would provide him with an opportunity to prove himself, in spite of the prejudices against his race. Stationed in Germany, and later Korea, during peacetime, Brown flourished in a leadership capacity in the Army, a rarity among black civil rights and political leaders, and an anomaly for the service as he commanded many white soldiers. Brown garnered much praise for his abilities, however, he still felt that his role leading troops on a peacetime front kept him from an active role in two current conflict that had gripped America: the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement.
When he returned to New York and civilian life in 1967, Brown took a position working with the National Urban League, an influential civil rights organization that had existed since 1911, and worked towards completing his law degree. Using his refined leadership abilities, Brown quickly moved up, and was soon relied on heavily by his superiors, especially for his ability to mediate between the League and the increasingly more turbulent younger activist movements. In 1972, Brown was named general counsel, which in effect placed him as second in command in the League. He was able to provide legal advice to affiliates around the country, helping them negotiate with state and local governments.
In 1973, Brown, his wife, and his two children moved to Washington, DC, to head up the League's office there. Under Brown's leadership, the League became more active in the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, a coalition of civil rights groups, liberal religious organizations, and labor unions. In 1977, Brown was appointed as League representative to join a delegation of civil rights leaders to Israel to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In particular, Brown shined in the capacity of diplomat in this sensitive issue, supporting Israel while stressing the importance of Palestinian rights.
Upon his return, Brown soon left the League and accepted an invitation by Edward Kennedy to aid in his campaign for the Democratic candidate for presidency. Though Kennedy was defeated in the primary, Brown's position as a national figure in the political scene was set. In 1981, he served as the Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee. It was also at this time that, helped by his political connections, he became the first African American partner at the prestigious Washington law firm of Patton Boggs.
In 1989, Brown was elected Chairman of the Democratic party, and was instrumental in Bill Clinton's ascent to the White House in 1992. This was not only a benefit to Clinton, who won the election, but also to the African American community, who had never been represented in such a position. In 1993, in another historical appointment, he became the first African American Secretary of the Department of Commerce. Here he worked to increase prosperity at home, and for American interests overseas. His goals always included expanding the rights of individuals in the economic process, and opening nations to the world market.
During his political career, Brown served on the President's National Economic Council, the Domestic Policy Council and the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. He was chairman of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, the Co-Chair of the US-Russia Business Development Committee and the U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Commission. He also served on the Senate Judiciary Committee under Senator Edward Kennedy.
As a political force and a catalyst for change for many of the world's suffering economies, Brown was looked upon by world leaders with the highest integrity. As evidence of the progress he made for minorities and Americans, his tragic death was mourned by many, and attended with a service unprecedented in its universal support for a cabinet member in recognition by his nation.
More information is available for each of the Master Student Profiles that appear in Becoming a Master Student. Start by visiting these web sites to find out more about the Ron Brown. Then, use your favorite search engine to find more information. Remember to think critically about information you find online.
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Mail to: csweb.collegesurvival@cengage.com
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