Jesse Brown
Encyclopedia
Jesse Brown was the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
under President Bill Clinton
from 1993 to 1997.
, to Lucille Marsh Brown and David Brown but grew up in Chicago
. He attended The Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
and Roosevelt University
in Chicago, and graduated from the City Colleges of Chicago
.
in 1963, and served as a Marine in the Vietnam War
, reaching the rank of Corporal
. He was seriously injured in 1965 near Da Nang
— his right arm shattered and partially paralyzed.
(DAV), a service and advocacy organization. He served in various supervisory roles with the DAV in the 1970s and 1980s:
In 1989, Brown became the DAV's first African-American director, serving until 1993.
to the post of Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
serving until 1997. He was the first African American to hold that post. During his tenure, Brown expanded the services offered to female veterans, homeless
veterans and veterans who were ill due to chemical exposures in Vietnam
or the Gulf War
. After he resigned as Secretary, Brown founded a consulting firm, Brown and Associates.
on August 15, 2002 of lower motor neuron syndrome
— being diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, since 1999. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
.
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
The United States Secretary of Veterans' Affairs is the head of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans' benefits and related matters...
under President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
from 1993 to 1997.
Early life
Jesse Brown was born on March 27, 1944, in Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, to Lucille Marsh Brown and David Brown but grew up in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He attended The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
in Chicago, and graduated from the City Colleges of Chicago
City Colleges of Chicago
The City Colleges of Chicago is a system of seven community colleges which provide learning opportunities for Chicago residents at the schools or online, and also members of the US military through the Navy Campus to enhance their knowledge and skills. Student enrollment was 115,000 in 2007...
.
Military service
He enlisted in the United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
in 1963, and served as a Marine in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, reaching the rank of Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
. He was seriously injured in 1965 near Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
— his right arm shattered and partially paralyzed.
DAV
In 1967, Brown joined the staff of Disabled American VeteransDisabled American Veterans
The Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, is an organization for disabled veterans that helps them and their families through various means. It currently has over 1.2 million members...
(DAV), a service and advocacy organization. He served in various supervisory roles with the DAV in the 1970s and 1980s:
- 1973 — supervisor of National Service Office in Washington, D.C.
- 1976 — supervisor of National Appeals Office
- 1981 — Chief of Claims, National Service and Legislative Headquarters
- 1983 — Deputy National Service Director
In 1989, Brown became the DAV's first African-American director, serving until 1993.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
In January 1993, Brown was selected by President Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to the post of Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
serving until 1997. He was the first African American to hold that post. During his tenure, Brown expanded the services offered to female veterans, homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
veterans and veterans who were ill due to chemical exposures in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
or the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. After he resigned as Secretary, Brown founded a consulting firm, Brown and Associates.
Death
Brown died in Warrenton, VirginiaWarrenton, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and 14,634 at the 2010 estimate. It is the county seat of Fauquier County. Public schools in the town include Fauquier High School, Warrenton Middle School, Taylor Middle School and two...
on August 15, 2002 of lower motor neuron syndrome
Motor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
— being diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, since 1999. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
See also
- Disabled American VeteransDisabled American VeteransThe Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, is an organization for disabled veterans that helps them and their families through various means. It currently has over 1.2 million members...
- Vietnam Veterans of AmericaVietnam Veterans of AmericaVietnam Veterans of America Inc. is a national non-profit corporation founded in 1978 in the United States that promotes the interests of United States military veterans of the Vietnam War era. It is funded without any contribution from any branch of government...