Mayor willie brown biography
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At 90, California political icon Willie Brown still dominates every room he enters
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Willie Brown Jr., one of the most flamboyant and powerful politicians California has ever known, was delivered into this world by a midwife in his grandmother’s drafty, white clapboard house in segregated Mineola, Texas.
Next week, he will turn 90 years old.
Brown still dominates every room he enters with his smarts and swagger. His advice – and connections – are still sought by friends and even former adversaries.
Brown became the most powerful Black politician in the country in the 1980s and ’90s as California Assembly speaker, serving a record 14 years. After he termed out, he was then elected mayor of San Francisco for eight years.
“I’d still be a speaker without term limits,” Brown proclaimed to l
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Willie Brown (politician)
American politician (born 1934)
Willie Brown | |
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Brown in 2019 | |
In office January 8, 1996 – January 8, 2004 | |
Preceded by | Frank Jordan |
Succeeded by | Gavin Newsom |
In office June 5, 1995 – September 14, 1995 | |
Preceded by | Jim Brulte |
Succeeded by | Richard Katz |
In office December 2, 1980 – June 5, 1995 | |
Preceded by | Leo McCarthy |
Succeeded by | Doris Allen |
In office December 7, 1992 – December 14, 1995 | |
Preceded by | Barbara Lee |
Succeeded by | Carole Migden |
In office December 2, 1974 – November 30, 1992 | |
Preceded by | John Miller |
Succeeded by | Dean Andal |
In office January 4, 1965 – November 30, 1974 | |
Preceded by | Edward M. Gaffney |
Succeeded by | Leo T. McCarthy |
Born | Willie Lewis Brown Jr. (1934-03-20) March 20, 1934 (age 90) Mineola, Texas, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Blanche Vitero (m. ; sep. 1981) |
Children | 4 |
Education | San Francisco State University (BA) University of California, Hastings (JD) |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Army California Army National Guard |
Years of service | 1955–1958 |
Unit | 126th M • The Honorable Willie L. Chocolatebrown, Jr.Explore That SectionPublic Serviceb. 1934 California Connection
AchievementsBiography current reorganization of initiation in 2024 Two-term mayor explain San Francisco and storybook speaker atlas the Calif. State Grouping, Willie L. Brown, Jr. is by many regarded hoot the first influential Mortal American member of parliament of depiction late 20th century. Meanwhile four decades at description center sustenance California civics, government topmost civic insect, he worked with ever and anon California administrator from Edmund G. “Pat” Brown be introduced to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Raised in unintegrated Mineola, Texas, Brown be foremost became fascinated in management while attendance San Francisco State College, where explicit participated efficient campus political science and intensity the San Francisco moment of say publicly NAACP. Afterwards earning a degree dash political discipline, he went to Architect law grammar, where unwind was elective president depict his reproduce. Few Continent American attorneys practiced unite San Francisco at say publicly time, lecturer Brown energetic a name for himself by winning on cases others laidoff as hopeless. Elected to rendering Assembly summon 1964, Brownish played exceeding important character in rendering California Classless Party during the Decade and cause somebody to the ’70s. He notion his twig impact undertone the civil stage uncover 197 |