[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING WILLIE BROWN, SR., M.D.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 2010

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to posthumously honor 
Willie Brown, Sr. M.D. upon being honored with the ``Trail Blazers 
Award'' by the African American Museum. Dr. Brown will be honored at 
the African American History Month Celebration and Banquet on Saturday, 
February 6, 2010 in Fresno, California.
  Dr. Willie Brown was born on January 4, 1932 in rural Mississippi. 
His father worked as a sharecropper and educator and his mother raised 
12 children. Against all odds, he attended the University of 
California, Berkley and Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee 
during the 1950s. After completing the program with a medical degree, 
Dr. Brown was accepted as an intern at Fresno County Hospital, and 
moved toward becoming an obstetrician gynecologist. In 1962, he began a 
private practice. Dr. Brown was the first African American specialty 
board certified physician in Fresno County and the 51st African 
American Board Certified obstetrician gynecologist in the United 
States.
  During Dr. Brown's 47 year career, he spent 22 of those years in 
practice with his son, Dr. Willie Brown, Jr. Together they delivered 
well over 22,000 babies in Fresno County. Dr. Brown's passion for 
education never ended, he was an instructor to many OB/Gyn physicians 
in the area and was recognized as an associate clinical professor in 
the department of OB/Gyn at the University of California, San Francisco 
in Fresno.
  Dr. Brown also served as a Flight Surgeon and Clinic Commander of the 
U.S. Air Force 144th Dispensary in the California Air National Guard. 
He was honorably discharged as a Major by the Air Force and is a 
recipient of the Service Commendation Medal. Dr. Brown served as the 
director of the Office of Family Planning at the Fresno Economic 
Opportunities Commission. He was the founding president of the John 
Hale Medical Forum and cofounder of the John Hale Medical Center in 
West Fresno. Dr. Brown was also a member of the Board of Governors in 
the Fresno Medical Society, a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary 
International and was a lifetime member of the National Association for 
the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP.
  Dr. Brown was also an entrepreneur. Along with a few colleagues, Dr. 
Brown started and funded the first African American privately owned 
supermarket in West Fresno. He was a real estate developer, a music 
producer, a co-owner of Robert's Collision Repair business, a co-owner 
of Just Julia's Jewelry business and had his own record label, Gimini 
Twins and Brownstone Entertainment. Dr. Brown was a benefactor for 
Second Baptist Church, Northwest Church, Youth for Christ, Meharry 
Medical College, Edison High School, Fresno Westside Seventh Day 
Adventist Church and Family Community Church, where he served as deacon 
and deacon emeritus. For his enormous contributions to the community, 
Dr. Brown has been recognized by a number of organizations; including 
West Fresno Health Care Coalition and the local NBC affiliate, KSEE 
Channel 24.
  Dr. Brown and his wife, Julia, were married for 54 years. Together 
they raised three children and had six grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to posthumously honor Dr. Willie Brown, 
Sr. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring his life and wishing 
the best for his family.

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