Willie Brown

• Born: March 20, 1934
• Place of Birth: Mineola, Texas

Politician and attorney

Brown served in the California Assembly for more than thirty years, including fifteen years as the speaker. He later was elected mayor of San Francisco, making him the first African American to serve in that role.

Area of achievement: Government and politics

Early Life

Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. was born March 20, 1934, in Mineola, Texas. He was the fourth of five children born to Minnie Collins Boyd and Lewis Brown. Mineola was a small town in East Texas that was harshly segregated. African Americans living in the town were intimidated and occasionally lynched. When Brown was a child, it was common for violent mobs to attempt to stop local African Americans from voting. Brown was raised by his mother and grandmother, Anna Lee Nolan, although his father remained involved in his life. His primary male role model was his uncle Itsie Collins, a gambler and bootlegger.

Brown’s mother and grandmother both were adamant advocates for education. In 1951, Brown graduated from Mineola Colored High School, a segregated school with substandard funding and learning conditions. Upon graduating, he moved to San Francisco to join Collins. Brown arrived in California at age seventeen, planning to enroll in college; it was his dream to study at Stanford University. He did not meet the requirements to enroll at Stanford, but the professor there who interviewed him was impressed by Brown’s intellectual drive. The professor also taught at San Francisco State University and suggested that Brown enroll there. Shortly after arriving at the university, Brown became involved in campus politics and decided to pursue a career in that field. He joined the Young Democrats and the San Francisco branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He also joined the Jones Methodist Church, where he quickly became involved in the community by serving as a youth leader.

Brown graduated from San Francisco State in 1955 with a degree in political science and continued his studies at Hastings Law School in San Francisco, where he graduated with his law degree in 1958; he was president of his class at Hastings. After graduating, Brown became one of the few African American lawyers in San Francisco. He joined forces with another Black lawyer named Terry Francois at a local law practice where he routinely defended pimps, prostitutes, and drug dealers. In 1959, Francois won the NAACP presidency. Brown was propelled into a leadership role, chairing the legislative committee that dealt with police abuse and housing discrimination.

Life’s Work

Despite his prominence in the African American community in San Francisco, Brown’s political career started slowly. He first ran as a Democrat for the state assembly in 1962 but lost by six hundred votes. Brown continued to practice as a lawyer and became a fairly prominent figure when he defended demonstrators in hotel and audio agency sit-ins. Being involved in these two well-publicized legal cases provided Brown with the notability he needed to win an election to the California Assembly in 1964. His election to the assembly made him San Francisco’s first African American legislator. This was especially significant because the majority of his constituency was White.

When he joined the assembly in 1964, Brown was one of four African Americans representing the state. During his first term, he introduced forty bills, and a quarter of them were signed into law; this achievement earned him the title of Outstanding Freshman Legislator. He was granted the chair of the Legislative Representative Committee in 1966 by then-Speaker of the House Jesse Unruh. This position gave Brown the power and prominence that helped him continue his political ascent.

In 1968, Brown stepped into the national spotlight by announcing his endorsement of Robert F. Kennedy. Later in 1968, after the Republicans took control of the assembly, Unruh named Brown as the Democratic whip. This appointment—another first for an African American—made him third in command of the assembly. At this time, Brown also was elected to an important legislative task force intended to address turbulence on college campuses.

When the Democrats retook control of the assembly in 1970, Brown became chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. In 1972, he ran for the position of speaker of the assembly but lost to Leo McCarthy, another San Francisco legislator and political rival.

After the murder of his close friend and political ally George Moscone, mayor of San Francisco, Brown reestablished his objectives. He became a major fund-raiser for the Democrats while also establishing partnerships with Republicans in the assembly. In 1980, he won the position of speaker with the help of his Republican allies.

For the next fifteen years, Brown presided over the California Assembly, an achievement that made him the state’s longest-serving speaker. He was attentive to issues on the Republicans’ agenda and excelled at bringing people and ideas together through collaboration. Some of the most significant changes he brought about as speaker were protecting the quality of public education and the welfare system; he also continued to diligently serve his African American constituents.

After a long career in the state assembly, Brown turned his attention to the city of San Francisco. In 1996, he was elected mayor of the city. He was noteworthy for his strong work ethic as mayor; he often would keep the doors of City Hall open on Saturday to answer questions from constituents. As mayor, Brown developed a reputation for getting things done—even if it meant venturing into questionable legal and ethical territory. A social liberal with a genuine concern for the poor and underprivileged, he nonetheless carried on an extravagant lifestyle. He became wealthy from his private law practice, and he was known for his vast collection of luxury sports cars and expensive designer clothing.

Brown’s tenure as mayor was marked by considerable development in real estate, the public works system, and city beautification; Brown also commissioned and oversaw many large-scale projects. San Francisco experienced rapid economic growth, and he developed the most diverse administration the city ever had. African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, women, and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ) community all were represented in his administration.

Brown served two terms as mayor before leaving office in 2004. Despite some discussion of running for a US Senate seat, Brown chose to officially retire from politics. He remained active in the public arena and as a fund-raiser and adviser to other politicians. In addition, Brown released an autobiography in 2008, continued to practice law, and sat on the boards of several companies.

Significance

Brown’s notability stems from his record-long tenure as speaker of the state assembly in the state assembly. His fifteen years in the position was twice as long as any other speaker, and changes to the California law after he left office made it unlikely that the record would be broken. Despite the incredible amount of time he spent in the state assembly and as the speaker, Brown is not remembered for his legislation. He is considered a significant figure in California history largely because of his ability to keep the state’s Democrats in power for so many years. During his first year as speaker, he proved himself to be a successful fund-raiser by raising and spending more than twice as much as his predecessor. He also ensured campaign contributions by distributing the various committee chairs to proven Democratic fund-raisers and by expanding the size of the Ways and Means Committee to maximize its fund-raising potential.

Brown held honorary doctoral degrees from several colleges, including Morehouse College, Atlanta University, San Francisco State University, and Wilberforce University. In 1958, he married Blanche Vitero; the couple later separated. He had four children and several grandchildren.

In 2018, Brown was named a recipient of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's (NAACP) Spingarn Medal. This medal is awarded to recognize African Americans who perform outstanding achievements in their fields. In 2024, Brown was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

Bibliography

Brown, Willie L. Basic Brown: My Life and Our Times. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.

Green, Robert Lee. Willie L. Brown, Jr.: Daring Black Leader. Milwaukee, Wis.: Franklin, 1974.

Illick, Joseph E. “Willie Brown: A Biography.” The New Leader 80, no. 3 (February 24, 1997): 16-17.

Richardson, James. Willie Brown: A Biography. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. Sheeler, Andrew. "Gavin Newsom Inducts History-Making Politician Into California Hall of Fame." The Sacramento Bee, 15 Jan. 2024, www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article284169258.html. Accessed 21 Aug. 2024.

"The Honorable Willie L. Brown's Biography." The HistoryMakers, 2023, www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/honorable-willie-l-brown. Accessed 21 Aug. 2024.

"Willie Brown to Receive NAACP's Prestigious Spingarn Medal." Defender, 14 June 2018, defendernetwork.com/news/local-state/willie-l-brown-to-receive-naacps-prestigious-spingarn-medal/. Accessed 21 Aug. 2024.