[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 2, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO REVEREND ABRAHAM BROWN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 2010

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
and accomplishments of Reverend Abraham Brown--and to acknowledge his 
contributions to education, social progress, and to the community of 
Tampa Bay.
  Rev. Brown was born in downtown Tampa, the youngest of 3 children. He 
graduated from Tampa's Middleton Senior High School in 1946 and 
continued his education as an All Conference Student Athlete at Florida 
Agriculture and Mechanical University (FAMU). He graduated in 1950 and 
ultimately earned a Master's Degree in Administration and Supervision.
  Rev. Brown returned to Tampa and went to work for the students in the 
public Hillsborough County Schools for thirty-eight years as a Teacher, 
Coach and Administrator. His coaching promoted sixteen athletes to 
professional football. These professional players attribute their 
success to the firm foundation and inspirational teachings of Coach Abe 
Brown. ``Coach'' retired from Hillsborough's school system on January 
29, 1988 as Dean of Boys at Chamberlain High School.
  In 1976 a former player of Rev. Brown was charged with murder and 
Brown realized that he had taught young men how to play football but 
had not taught them how to live productive lives. In response to this 
he founded Prison Crusade Ministries, Inc. (now Abe Brown Ministries, 
Inc.) a non-profit organization that enables offenders, ex-offenders, 
their families, and others at risk, to achieve productive and 
spiritually fulfilling lives.
  Rev. Brown continued his social outreach and in 1991, he received 
nationwide coverage and honor through an article in the Readers Digest 
regarding his active establishment and implementation of an effort to 
stop street drug sales in Tampa's College Hill community.
  In 1993, he was awarded the America's Award (``The Nobel Peace Prize 
for Goodness'') for dedication through the Norman Vincent Peale 
Foundation. Rev. Brown was named Father of the Year in 2007 by the 100 
Black Men of Tampa Bay and was also honored by the Tampa Chapter of the 
NFL and Hall of Fame with the J. Rex Farrior Award. In 2008, Tampa's 
new Middleton High School stadium was named ``Abe Brown Stadium'' in 
his honor.
  Rev. Brown is a tremendous role model for our youth and an 
inspiration to our community. He selflessly devoted his life to others 
and instead of abandoning those who had lost their way he worked 
tirelessly to help them get back on track. He not only helped numerous 
individuals, he helped an entire community. That is why I rise today to 
honor the life of Reverend Abraham Brown.

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