{"id":158,"date":"2022-09-12T16:11:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T16:11:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/?p=158"},"modified":"2024-02-02T18:54:33","modified_gmt":"2024-02-02T18:54:33","slug":"brown-surname-in-black-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Brown As An African American Last Name"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There were 511,581 black Americans with Brown as their last name in the 2010 U.S. Census. This was 36% of the total number with that name in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article looks at:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>19th and early 20<sup>th<\/sup>-century black census numbers for the name<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>notable African American people named Brown<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>early black military records and how to find them<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Brown_Before_The_Civil_War\" title=\"Brown Before The Civil War\">Brown Before The Civil War<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#1850_Federal_Census\" title=\"1850 Federal Census\">1850 Federal Census<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#1860_Federal_Census\" title=\"1860 Federal Census\">1860 Federal Census<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#After_The_Civil_War\" title=\"After The Civil War\">After The Civil War<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Brown_In_The_1900_And_1940_Census\" title=\"Brown In The 1900 And 1940 Census\">Brown In The 1900 And 1940 Census<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Historic_Black_Figures_Named_Brown\" title=\"Historic Black Figures Named Brown\">Historic Black Figures Named Brown<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#William_Wells_Brown\" title=\"William Wells Brown\">William Wells Brown<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Henry_Brown\" title=\"Henry Brown\">Henry Brown<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Willa_Brown\" title=\"Willa Brown\">Willa Brown<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Marie_Van_Brittan_Brown\" title=\"Marie Van Brittan Brown \">Marie Van Brittan Brown <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Minnijean_Brown_Trickey\" title=\"Minnijean Brown Trickey\">Minnijean Brown Trickey<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Brown_In_African_American_Military_Records\" title=\"Brown In African American Military Records\">Brown In African American Military Records<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Buffalo_Soldiers\" title=\"Buffalo Soldiers\">Buffalo Soldiers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Black_Civil_War_Sailors\" title=\"Black Civil War Sailors\">Black Civil War Sailors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Researching_black_naval_history\" title=\"Researching black naval history\">Researching black naval history<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/#Tuskegee_Airmen\" title=\"Tuskegee Airmen\">Tuskegee Airmen<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brown_Before_The_Civil_War\"><\/span>Brown Before The Civil War<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The 1850 census was the first to record all free members of households together. Before this, people who were not white were not named in the federal census.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1850, there was a box to enter color on the census. It was left blank to denote white, b for black, or m for mulatto. The third term is the language of the time. I will use mixed in the rest of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are researching your Brown ancestors in census archives, be sure to search under both categories. The census takers sometimes made their own judgment. Do not rely on them always being right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1850_Federal_Census\"><\/span>1850 Federal Census<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There were 6,022 people named Brown who were recorded as black in the 1850 census. 1,730 were recorded as mixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because they are in the main federal census, these are free citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was a total of 145,595 free citizens named Brown that year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1860_Federal_Census\"><\/span>1860 Federal Census<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The 1860 federal census recorded 2,362 people named Brown as black, and 2,362 as mixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is out of a total of 181,853 free citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, census-taking would change after the Civil War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"After_The_Civil_War\"><\/span>After The Civil War<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Emancipation-commemoration-stamp.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Emancipation-commemoration-stamp.jpg 800w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Emancipation-commemoration-stamp-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Emancipation-commemoration-stamp-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Stamp commemorating the Emancipation Proclamation<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The 1870 census was the first after the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. At last, all African Americans are included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those who were omitted in 1860 because they were enslaved are now in this census. Here are the numbers: 64,024 people named Brown were recorded in the 1870 census as black and 8,757 as mixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The increase is clear. The overall total (all Americans) was 288,491.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 1880 census recorded 86,872 as black and 14,259 as mixed out of a total of 355,241.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we jump to the end of the 19th century \u2013 or the beginning of the 20th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brown_In_The_1900_And_1940_Census\"><\/span>Brown In The 1900 And 1940 Census<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1900, the mixed category was dropped. However, not all enumerators followed those instructions. I have found a small number of records where \u201cm\u201d was still used in the box for color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I will focus here on the black numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 1900 census recorded 135,317 people named Brown as black within a total of 489,197.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were 192,616 people named Brown recorded in the 1940 census as black within a total of 756,024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Historic_Black_Figures_Named_Brown\"><\/span>Historic Black Figures Named Brown<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Brown-1-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Brown-1-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Brown-1-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Brown-1-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Brown-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Here are short biographies of historic figures with the Brown surname.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"William_Wells_Brown\"><\/span>William Wells Brown<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Born: About 1814<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From: Lexington, Kentucky<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Died: 1884<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>William Wells Brown was born enslaved. He was hired out to steamboats on the Missouri River and escaped when he was twenty (in 1834) by fleeing when his boat was moored in Cincinnati. A Quaker named Wells Brown helped him, and William took the surname as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brown continued to work on steamboats on Lake Erie and smuggled many fugitives to freedom. He was a noted pro-abolitionist speaker in Buffalo, New York. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He traveled to Great Britain in 1849 to lecture against slavery and drum up support for U.S. abolitionists. Brown had already published his memoirs in 1847. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While in Britain, he published a novel titled \u201c<em>Clotel, or, The President\u2019s Daughter: a Narrative of Slave Life in the United States<\/em>\u201d. This was a fictional account of two mixed-race children of Thomas Jefferson and a slave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was published in 1853 in London. This makes it the first known published novel by an African American.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/William-Wells-Brown.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/William-Wells-Brown.jpg 400w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/William-Wells-Brown-240x300.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Early Novelists<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The first African American novel may still be undiscovered. However, these novelists are known to have been published in the United States:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/webb-surname-in-black-history\/#Frank_Webb\">Frank Webb<\/a> &#8211; published in 1857<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wilson-surname-in-black-history\/#Harriet_Wilson\">Harriet Wilson<\/a> &#8211; published in 1859<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/collins-surname-in-black-history\/#Julia_Collins\">Julia Collins<\/a> &#8211; novel serialized in a newspaper in 1865<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Henry_Brown\"><\/span>Henry Brown<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Born: 1815<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Died: 1897<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From: Louisa, Virginia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Henry \u201cBox\u201d Brown was born on a plantation and sent to work in a tobacco factory in Richmond, Virginia. When his wife and children were sold to a plantation in North Carolina, he became determined to achieve freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Henry arranged to have himself hidden and shipped in a wooden box from Richmond to abolitionists in Philadelphia. The trip took 27 hours by wagon, train, and steamboat. He was helped in St Louis by a radical group called the Knights of Liberty, co-founded by the black abolitionist <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/dickson-surname-in-black-history\/#Moses_Dickson\">Moses Dickson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in a full account by another prominent black abolitionist who helped him, we have an excerpt from the chapter on <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/henry-box-brown-in-william-stills-the-underground-railroad\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"147\">Henry Box Brown in William Still&#8217;s book on the Underground Railroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Underground Railroad was a vast network of secret routes and safe houses organized by many abolitionists and rights activists. It helped thousands of enslaved people escape from the South.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This illustration from the book depicts the moment when the helpers open the box to release Henry:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/henry-box-brown-illustration.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-148\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/henry-box-brown-illustration.jpg 640w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/henry-box-brown-illustration-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Browns On the Underground Railroad<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Henry wasn&#8217;t the only Brown to feature in Still&#8217;s book with a daring escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robert Brown risked his life by swimming a horse across the Potomac River on Christmas night. His escape in 1856 took him from Martinsburg, Virginia, to the underground railway stop in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His testimony to the Philadelphia Committee is memorable. You can find it in our excerpt on <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/robert-brown-underground-railroad\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"201\">Robert Brown in the Underground Railroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anthony and Albert Brown were owned by oystermen in Norfolk, Virginia. They escaped by sailing an oyster boat to freedom. Read more in our excerpt of an <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/escape-by-oyster-boat-underground-railroad\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1193\">escape by oyster boat to the Underground Railroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Willa_Brown\"><\/span>Willa Brown<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Born: 1906<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Died: 1992<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From: Glasgow, Kentucky<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Willa Brown was one of the first African American women to secure a pilot\u2019s license (she did so in 1938). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She co-founded the <a href=\"https:\/\/pioneersofflight.si.edu\/content\/coffey-school-aeronautics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coffey School of Aeronautics<\/a> to train black pilots. Nearly two hundred became Tuskegee Airmen, the famed black flying unit in WWII. We have more about these pilots later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brown was a strong advocate for the integration of the Army Air Corps. She became the first black officer in the Civil Air Patrol when appointed Lieutenant in 1942.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/coleman-surname-in-black-history\/#Bessie_Coleman\">Bessie Coleman<\/a> was another pioneering black aviator. She had to go to France in 1920 to train as a pilot. Working as a stunt pilot, she died in a crash (as a passenger) in 1926.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Marie_Van_Brittan_Brown\"><\/span>Marie Van Brittan Brown <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Born: 1922<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Died: 1999<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From: Queens, New York<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a home security system, you are benefiting from the pioneering invention of Marie Van Brittan Brown in in the 1960s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marie was a forty-year-old nurse when she invented a safety system for when she was alone in her house at night. Her electrician husband helped her devise a system of peepholes, cameras, and microphones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This allowed he to see and speak to people outside before  admitting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marie&#8217;s name was the first on the patent application in 1966, her husband was second. She later added a mechanism to alert police remotely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The whole system is considered to be the first closed-circuit TV security installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other black inventors<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out these other early African American inventors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/bradley-surname-in-black-history\/#Benjamin_Bradley\">Benjamin Bradley<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/morgan-surname-in-black-history\/#Garrett_Morgan\">Garrett Morgan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/jones-surname-in-black-history\/#Frederick_McKinley_Jones\">Frederick McKinley Jones<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brooks-surname-in-black-history\/#Charles_Brooks\">Charles Brooks<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Minnijean_Brown_Trickey\"><\/span>Minnijean Brown Trickey<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Born: 1941<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From: Little Rock, Arkansas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Minnijean Brown grew up in Little Rock where she attended the segregated black Horace Mann High School. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the time, the local branch of the NAACP, under the leadership of <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/bates-in-surname-history\/#Daisy_Bates\">Daisy Bates<\/a>, was forming a small group of black students to be the first to desegregate a Little Rock school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minnijean was one of nine students who volunteered to enroll at the white Little Rock Central High in 1957. This group became known as the Little Rock Nine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the first day, the Governor sent the National Guard to prevent their entry. President Eisenhower intervened and sent troops to enforce the court order of desegregation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the second day, the children also faced hostile crowds who gathered outside the school. They entered class and became the first students to integrate Little Rock Central High.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the white students verbally and physically harassed the students inside the school. Minnijean wasn&#8217;t the type to back away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a bunch of girls threw a bag filled with locks at her, she yelled back at them. Despite the torrent of verbal abuse she had received at the school, Minnijean was expelled for calling her assailants white trash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She went on to graduate from high school in New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Members of the Little Rock Nine<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some of the members:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/green-surname-in-black-history\/#Ernest_Green\">Ernest Green<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/thomas-surname-in-black-history\/#Jefferson_Thomas\">Jefferson Thomas<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/roberts-surname-in-black-history\/#Terrence_Roberts\">Terrence Roberts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brown_In_African_American_Military_Records\"><\/span>Brown In African American Military Records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You may be surprised at the amount of genealogy information available from military records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some examples of the Brown surname from three different military services:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Buffalo soldiers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Black civil war soldiers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tuskegee airmen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Buffalo_Soldiers\"><\/span>Buffalo Soldiers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Five regiments for black soldiers were formed during the Civil War. They were known as the Buffalo Soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their records are part of the national archive of military monthly returns. The information includes the year and place of birth, where they enlisted, their occupation, and their height.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are black soldiers of the 25th Infantry. Some are wearing buffalo robes.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/25th-Infantry-Buffalo-Soldiers.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/25th-Infantry-Buffalo-Soldiers.jpg 500w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/25th-Infantry-Buffalo-Soldiers-250x300.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>One of the earliest entries for Brown was in 1866.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>John Brown was a Private in the Tenth Cavalry. He was stationed in 1866 at St Louis, Missouri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the last entries was in 1914. William Brown was a Corporal in the Ninth Cavalry that year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to do your own research, there is a free index of these military records on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ancestry.com\/search\/collections\/1934\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ancestry.com<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.familysearch.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FamilySearch.org.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Black_Civil_War_Sailors\"><\/span>Black Civil War Sailors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Two African American navy sailors named Brown were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for their actions during the Civil War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>William H. Brown was awarded the medal for his bravery during the Battle of Mobile Bay in Alabama in 1864.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This was the citation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>&#8220;On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during successful attacks against Fort Morgan rebel gunboats and the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, on 5 August 1864. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Stationed in the immediate vicinity of the shell whips which were twice cleared of men by bursting shells, BROWN remained steadfast at his post and performed his duties in the powder division throughout the furious action, which resulted in the surrender of the prize rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.navy.mil\/our-collections\/photography\/us-people\/b\/brown-william-h\/nh-105362.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Official citation<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Wilson Brown was born into slavery in Natchez, Mississippi. In the same battle as William above, a Confederate shell exploded on his ship. Four men were killed, while Brown was knocked to the below deck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When he recovered consciousness, he returned to his post. You can read a fuller <a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.navy.mil\/our-collections\/artifacts\/uniforms-and-personal-equipment\/awards\/medals\/MedalofHonorCU0\/wilson-brown-medal-of-honor.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">account at the Navy Museum website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More black medal recipients<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some more black naval servicemen who were awarded the Medal of Honor:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/anderson-surname-in-black-history\/#Aaron_Anderson\">Aaron Anderson<\/a> at Chesapeake Bay<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/english-as-an-african-american-last-name\/#Thomas_English\">Thomas English<\/a> on the U.S.S. New Ironsides<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Researching_black_naval_history\"><\/span>Researching black naval history<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The National Parks Service has a free archive of African American sailors during the Civil War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The information includes their age, height, rank, occupation, and where and when they enlisted. It also includes every ship that they served on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can search the database on the&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/civilwar\/search-sailors.htm\" target=\"_blank\">National Parks website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Samuel Brown<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the earliest entries for the surname concerned Samuel Brown from Norfolk, Virginia. He enlisted in 1861 aged 23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His occupation before enlisting was as a Barber. His naval rank was Landsman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cLandsman\u201d was the lowest rank at the time and was given to recruits with little sea experience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dansey Brown<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the later entries was for a sailor who enlisted in 1864. Dansey was aged 26 and was from Baltimore, Maryland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His occupation before enlisting was as a Cook. His naval rank was Seaman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>A seaman in the Navy is a sailor who is not an officer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tuskegee_Airmen\"><\/span>Tuskegee Airmen<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Tuskegee Airmen were military personnel who served at the Tuskegee Army Airfield or related programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nearly one thousand black pilots graduated from the Tuskegee Institute. They flew single-engine fighter planes or twin-engine bombers. 352 fought in combat.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Tuskegee-Airmen-With-Base-Commander.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Tuskegee-Airmen-With-Base-Commander.jpg 600w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Tuskegee-Airmen-With-Base-Commander-300x250.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>James Brown graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant from the Tuskegee Institute in 1944. He qualified as a bomber pilot. James was from Detroit, Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Roscoe Brown came from New York, New York. He trained as a fighter pilot and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1944.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His combat credits said:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>Downed 1 Me-262 on March 24, 1945; Downed a Fw-190 on March 31, 1945<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that Roscoe Brown shot down two planes in March 1945.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There were 511,581 black Americans with Brown as their last name in the 2010 U.S. Census. This was 36% of the total number with that name in the country. This article looks at: Brown Before The Civil War The 1850 census was the first to record all free members of households together. Before this, people &#8230; <a title=\"Brown As An African American Last Name\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/brown-surname-in-black-history\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Brown As An African American Last Name\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3803,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158\/revisions\/3803"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}