Jesse Brown was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served as United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997.
19 Facts About Jesse Brown
2.
Jesse Brown was born on March 27,1944, in Detroit, Michigan, to Lucille Marsh Brown and David Brown.
3.
Jesse Brown grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated with honors from the City Colleges of Chicago.
4.
Jesse Brown enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1963, and served as a marine in the Vietnam War, reaching the rank of corporal.
5.
Jesse Brown was seriously injured in 1965 near Da Nang when he was shot in the right arm, which was left partially paralyzed.
6.
Jesse Brown began taking classes at Roosevelt University in Chicago.
7.
In 1967, Jesse Brown joined the staff of the Disabled American Veterans.
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Jesse Brown served in various supervisory roles with the DAV in the 1970s and 1980s:.
9.
In 1988, Jesse Brown became the DAV's first African-American executive director, serving until 1993.
10.
In January 1993, Jesse Brown was selected by President Bill Clinton to the post of Secretary of Veterans Affairs, serving until July 1997.
11.
Jesse Brown was the first African American to hold that post.
12.
Jesse Brown is the first former enlisted member of the United States Armed Forces named Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
13.
Jesse Brown was one of three people who provided the impetus for the creation of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, a national memorial in Washington, DC, which honors disabled veterans.
14.
Pope called every day for the next six months, until finally Jesse Brown's secretary put her call through.
15.
Jesse Brown served as the executive director of the American Disabled Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial Foundation until his death.
16.
Jesse Brown died in Warrenton, Virginia on August 15,2002, of lower motor neuron syndrome.
17.
Jesse Brown had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, since 1999.
18.
Jesse Brown's funeral was held at the Washington National Cathedral, and he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
19.
Jesse Brown was survived by his wife, Sylvia, and his children Carmen and Scott.