LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., upon the occa-
sion of his designation as the recipient of the 2009 African American
Heritage Award on February 27, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to take note of and
publicly acknowledge those exemplary individuals whose purposeful lives
and distinguished careers have been committed to bettering the quality
of life in this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Dr.
Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., upon the occasion of his designation as a recipi-
ent of the 2009 African American Heritage Award at a ceremony to be held
on Friday, February 27, 2009, at The Bronx Library Center; and
WHEREAS, A man of singular distinction, Dr. Brown has continually
demonstrated extreme competence, extraordinary intelligence, and dili-
gent leadership in his unwavering service to his community and profes-
sion and consequently has been designated for this most prestigious
honor; and
WHEREAS, Born on March 9, 1922, in Washington, D.C., Dr. Brown was the
youngest of two children, his father working as a public health special-
ist and his mother as a teacher; he graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar
High School and earned his Bachelor's degree from Springfield College in
Massachusetts; and
WHEREAS, Upon graduating from Springfield College in 1943, Dr. Brown
joined the United States Air Force; he is a former Army Air Force
Captain, who commanded the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter
Group (the "Tuskegee Airmen") in World War II; he was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters;
he is credited with being the first 15th Air Force fighter pilot to
shoot down a German jet fighter, and has been honored by the Intrepid
Air-Space Museum in New York City for his outstanding leadership as
Squadron Commander; and
WHEREAS, Returning after the war in 1946, Dr. Brown attended New York
University, where he earned a M.A. in 1949, and a Ph.D. in 1951; and
WHEREAS, Before Brown earned his Master's degree, he worked as a
social investigator with the New York City Department of Welfare and as
an instructor in physical education at West Virginia State College until
1948; while working on his doctorate in 1950, he became the director of
the Institute of Afro-American Affairs and a professor of education at
New York University, where he remained for the next 27 years; and
WHEREAS, In 1977, Dr. Brown was named president of Bronx Community
College, a part of the City University of New York (CUNY), and continued
there until 1993; today, Brown serves as director of the Center for
Urban Education Policy and University Professor at the Graduate School
and University Center of CUNY; and
WHEREAS, As Director of the Center for Urban Education Policy at the
Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New
York, Dr. Brown's work focuses on the role of school-based management
and parental involvement in school reform; and
WHEREAS, A specialist in educational measurement, Dr. Brown has served
as a consultant for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and as a
member of the New York State Education Department's College Proficiency
Examination Committee, and continues service on the Technical Advisory
Committee for the New Jersey State Educational Assessment Program; and
WHEREAS, Despite his busy professional life, Dr. Brown has been called
upon to contribute his time and talents to countless civic and charita-
ble endeavors and has always given of himself unstintingly; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Brown serves as Chairman of the New York City Regional
Education Center for Economic Development, has served as a member of the
national boards of Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the American
Council on Education, as well as the boards of the YMCA of Greater New
York and the Fund for the City of New York; and
WHEREAS, He currently serves on the boards of the New York Botanical
Garden, the New York City Partnership, the Museum of the City of New
York, the Phipps Community Development Corporation, the City Parks Foun-
dation, Libraries for the Future, and the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt
Institute; and
WHEREAS, He is Chairman of the boards of directors of the Greater
Harlem Nursing Home, the Urban Issues Group (a "think-tank" of African-
American scholars), and the Sports Foundation; he is Vice Chairman of
the Arthur Ashe Athletic Association and of the National Black Leader-
ship Commission on AIDS, chairs the National Scholarship Selection
Committee of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and is Past President of
One Hundred Black Men, Inc. (an influential group of civic-minded Afri-
can-American New Yorkers); he is also a founding member of the American
College of Sports Medicine; and
WHEREAS, A member of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development
Corporation, Dr. Brown has served on the New York State Governor's Advi-
sory Committee for Black Affairs, the New York State Human Rights Advi-
sory Council, and the New York State Attorney General's Ethical Stand-
ards Committee; he was appointed to the New York State Job Training and
Partnership Council, the New York State Health, Fitness and Sports Coun-
cil, and the New York State Special Advisory Commission on Minority
Enrollment in Medical Schools; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Brown's dedication to and success in improving the quali-
ty of life for others have resulted in his receiving numerous awards and
accolades; among them the NAACP Freedom Award, the Congressional Award
for Service to the African-American Community, and the Distinguished
Alumnus Awards from his alma maters, New York University and Springfield
College; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Dr. Brown has been inducted into the National
Association for Sports and Physical Education Hall of Fame, and has
received honorary doctorates from Springfield College, the University of
the State of New York, and the Regents of the State of New York; he was
recently bestowed the honor of "New York City Treasure", during the
city's Centennial celebration observance by the Museum of the City of
New York; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Brown has produced the guide, PREPARING PARENTS FOR
SCHOOL-BASED MANAGEMENT, WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE?: A STUDY OF THE
ACHIEVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS OF NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, and EDUCA-
TION VOUCHERS: CAN PUBLIC EDUCATION MEET THE CHALLENGE?; his prior
publications include the widely-read reference work THE NEGRO ALMANAC,
CLASSICAL STUDIES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: NEW PERSPECTIVES OF MAN IN
ACTION, THE BLACK EXPERIENCE, and more than 60 articles which have
appeared in such scholarly journals as the ANNALS OF POLITICAL AND
SOCIAL SCIENCE, BLACK ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, the JOURNAL OF NEGRO
EDUCATION, and NEGRO DIGEST; he has also prepared the very popular
"Black Culture Quiz", of which nearly a half million copies have been
distributed; and
WHEREAS, Active in the arts and media as well, Dr. Brown has hosted
numerous television programs, including "Black Letters" (WCBS-TV),
"Bicentennial: a Black Perspective" (WNBC-TV), "Freedom's Word" (WNBC-
TV), and the Emmy Award-winning "Black Arts" (WCBS-TV); he has hosted a
weekly radio program, "Soul of Reason" (WNBC-TV), and a weekly tele-
vision news segment, "Black Viewpoint" (WNYC/Channel 31); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Brown has also served as Chairman of the Board of Direc-
tors of the Negro Ensemble Company and as a member of the WNET/Channel
13 Board of Advisors and the boards of directors of the Bronx Council on
the Arts, the Columbia University Center for American Culture Studies,
and the Municipal Art Society; he currently serves on the Board of
Directors of Bronxnet Public Access Cable Corporation; in recent years,
Dr. Brown has been Executive Producer and host of the television series,
"African-American Legends", airing on CUNY TV; and
WHEREAS, An avid runner who has completed the New York City Marathon
nine times, Dr. Brown is listed in WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA, WHO'S WHO AMONG
BLACK AMERICANS, and WHO'S WHO IN AMERICAN EDUCATION; and
WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his four children, all of whom
feel privileged to be a part of his life and rejoice in his achieve-
ments; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the occurrence of such a compassionate blend-
ing of strength, intellect, and commitment as that demonstrated by Dr.
Brown over a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication to others; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, it is appropriate to publicly proclaim and commend those individ-
uals for the edification and emulation of others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., upon the occasion of his designation as
the recipient of the 2009 African American Heritage Award; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr.