Cora Brown

Cora Mae Brown (April 19, 1914 – December 17, 1972) was the first African-American woman elected (rather than appointed) to a state senate in the United States.

She was born in Bessemer, Alabama on April 19, 1914.

When better economic conditions did not appear for their family when they moved to Birmingham, her grandparents urged her parents to move north to Michigan.

At 8, she moved to Detroit, Michigan, with her family.

There, her father established a tailor shop that was supported by Detroit automotive workers.

They occupied a neighborhood that was racially diverse.

Brown enrolled at the Bishop School when her parents moved the family to Detroit in 1922 and she had her first experiences with racial discrimination at the school.

A German classmate called her "schwarze" or "black woman," using negative connotations.

In 1931, she graduated from Cass Technical High School and entered Fisk University, a historically black college in Nashville, Tennessee.

She originally intended to study medicine, but found it too difficult to look at the medical cadavers.

She quickly changed her concentration to sociological work.

During her time at Fisk, she studied sociology with renowned sociologist E. Franklin Frazier and received an A.B. degree.

To manage college expenses Brown worked at a Detroit Urban League summer camp for underprivileged children.

Brown was known for being particularly active in campus political movements as a student (1931-1935).

This commitment was inspired by her strong reaction to the lynching of a young black man accused of rape in Columbia, Tennessee.

Her actions on campus indicate her lifelong commitment to social justice.

Upon graduation from Fisk University in 1935, Brown took advantage of the need for social workers created by the 1929 economic crash.

For another five years, she assisted the homeless of Detroit deal with the effects of the Great Depression.

At 37, Brown worked as a fines lawyer in Detroit.

She made a comfortable living and resided with her mother.

Following her work as the special associate general counsel of the US Post Office, she moved to Los Angeles.

Following graduation, Brown returned to Detroit where she worked from 1941 to 1946 as a policewoman in the Detroit Police Department's Women's Division.

Many of her cases involved criminal law.

This inspired her to attend Wayne State University's law school, she would pass the bar examination two weeks after her graduation in 1948.

Though she did not focus on criminal law during her time in school, Brown remained interested in this pursuit.

In 1950 and 1951, she ran for a seat on the Michigan State Senate but was defeated.

This seat had been up for special election after senator Wilkowski had been accused of election fraud.

She won her seat in the Michigan Senate in 1952.

Brown was a Democrat who represented Detroit.

Cora Mae Brown was Richard and Alice Brown's only child.

Her experience in these two campaigns allowed her to make more competitive decisions in her 1952 race.

She went door to door and sent trucks around Detroit to spread her message to voters, this campaign was based on her desire to improve hospital, social services, and to decrease racial inequality.

Brown's campaign victory in 1952 allowed her to serve two terms (1953-1956).

At the time, a Michigan State Senate term was about two years.

She served as the state senator for the 2nd District during her first term and served for the 3rd District during her second term.

She opened a small practice there and practiced law until her return to Detroit in 1970.

Brown was involved in several civil rights and community building organizations.

Brown worked with the NAACP, YWCA, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and the New Calvary Baptist Church.

Brown's political involvement began during her time at Fisk University.

As a student she participated in demonstrations and was praised by writer Edward T. Clayton for her "willingness to battle injustice."