Eddie Brown Jr., 70, civil and human rights advocate

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By Michelle E. Shaw

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Eddie Brown was often working on the behalf of others, which suited him just fine, friends and family said.

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Family Eddie Brown Jr., was more than a fighter for civil and human rights. He also loved "all things beautiful, " his wife Valinda Brown said.

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Mr. Brown began working in the areas of human and civil rights in the 60s and never stopped. He was a student at Louisiana's Southern University at the time as was expelled after participating in a sit-in protesting racial segregation. He soon moved to Washington D.C., enrolled at Howard University and became a leader and organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

He went on to work with other human and civil organizations such as Mississippi Action for Community Education, widely known as MACE

During his time at Howard, Mr. Brown met Ekwueme Michael Thelwell, and the men were roommates and became life-long friends. Mr. Thelwell marveled at the dedication his friend exhibited while working to uplift the oppressed, poor and disenfranchised. He was also drawn to Mr. Brown because of his musical and linguistic expertise.

“Ed was a virtuoso in the oral tradition of black people,” Mr. Thelwell said. “He was an excellent singer and he knew all of the spirituals. He could preach a song sermon with remarkable sensitivity to the poetry of it.”

“He was definitely a renaissance person,” said Courtland Cox, another log-time friend former Howard roommate. “His love of art, food and music was certainly unique.”

Both men said Mr. Brown spent a considerable amount of time and energy working to eradicate injustices in the areas of human and civil rights. Much of the work he did didn’t make national headlines, but it was significant none the less, Mr. Cox said.

“Ed, and others of our generation, made a huge contribution in changing what America looks like today.”

Eddie Charles Brown, Jr., of Atlanta, widely known as Ed, was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. Mr. Brown died at his home Wednesday from complications of the cancer. He was 70. Last rites were held Thursday at the West End Community Mosque. The body was buried in a Muslim cemetery maintained by Al-Farooq Masjid, in Hampton.

Along with his activism on behalf of those he didn’t know, Mr. Brown spent years defending and advocating for his younger brother, Jamil Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown, who is currently serving a life sentence for killing a Fulton County Sherriff’s Deputy in 2000.

Karima Al-Amin praised her brother-in-law’s dedication to his family.

“His sense of family was so strong, it transcended into different areas of his life,” she said. He wanted to right the wrongs and fight injustices, not only here … but worldwide.”

A few months before Mr. Brown died he was able to make a trip to Supermax, in Florence, Colo., where Mr. Al-Amin is being held.

Mrs. Al-Amin said it was good that the brothers got to see each other before Mr. Brown died.

“He was just the best brother-in-law a person could have.”

Mr. Brown lived to make a difference, Mr. Cox said.

“He wanted to help somebody,” Mr. Cox said. “At the end of the day the true measurement is did you help somebody and did you live a committed life, and he did.”

Mr. Brown is also survived by his wife, Valinda Johnson Brown; three sons, Michael Johnson of Atlanta, Kevin George of Minnesota and Keith George of Detroit; two sisters, Pat Brown Leak of Maryland and Cheryl Brown Hill of Dallas; another brother, Lance Brown of Baton Rouge and six grandchildren.