Alpha Phi Alpha’s Dr. Lee Brown Became Houston’s First Black Mayor

Did you know that the first Blackmayor of Houston is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.? His name is Dr. Lee P. Brown, and his career of firsts stretched across law enforcement, the President’s Cabinet, and city hall.

Lee Patrick Brown was born on October 4, 1937, in Wewoka, Oklahoma, and grew up in California, where his family worked as farmers. He earned a scholarship to Fresno State University and went on to earn a master’s degree and, in 1970, a doctorate in criminology from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans, which was founded in 1906 at Cornell University.

Brown built one of the most distinguished careers in American law enforcement. As Black America Web documents, he served as the public safety commissioner of Atlanta, where he led the investigation into the Atlanta Child Murders, before becoming Houston’s first Black police chief in 1982, a role in which he became a national pioneer of community policing. In 1990 he was appointed police commissioner of New York City under Mayor David Dinkins, taking charge of the largest police department in the country.

His service soon reached the national stage. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Brown director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the nation’s drug czar, a post that was elevated to Cabinet-level rank during his tenure.

Then came the role that made history in his adopted hometown. In 1997, Brown was elected mayor of Houston, becoming the first African American to lead the city. He served three terms, guiding Houston through a period of growth and investing in its transit, libraries, and infrastructure.

From the police precinct to the President’s Cabinet to the mayor’s office, Alpha Phi Alpha’s Dr. Lee P. Brown has spent his life in service and leadership, breaking barriers at every level of American government.

We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Brother Dr. Lee P. Brown for his historic career and his service to his community.