Legislator Details


Cora M. Brown
AKA:
Number of sessions served 2
Sessions served
Gender: Female
Age at election: 38

Vital Records Information:

Birth
Date: 4/19/1914
City: Bessemer, AL
County: Jefferson County, AL
Country: US
 
Death
Date: 12/17/1972
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Type of Burial: interred
Burial
Date:
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Cemetery: Elmwood Cemetery

Marital Information:

Number of Children: 0

Background

Religion: Baptist
Military Service:
Occupation: lawyer, social worker, police officer
Race: African American or Negro or Black

Education:
graduated from Cass Technical High School, Detroit; A.B. Fisk University; L.L.B. Wayne State University

Biographical Sketch:
Worked as a social worker 1936-1941 and as a policewoman in Detroit from 1941-1946. Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha; Order of the Eastern Star.

Notable Facts:
First African Amer. woman elected to the MI Senate, 1952. Second woman in the MI Senate. The SCR 10 states she was once described as the "perennial thorn in the conscience" of the Michigan Democratic Party. She battled for her principals and beliefs, and she was an early civil rigths advocate in the Senate. According to the 12-19-72 she died at Grace Hospital in Detroit. According to the Detroit News, 10-24-56 she was the first Black woman to serve in the Michigan Senate.

Sessions Served:

Sixty-Eighth Legislature, 1955-1956
Chamber: Senate
Party: Democratic
Committees Served On: Health and Welfare, Judiciary
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District: Wayne 3
District Description: City of Detroit wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9; city of Highland Park

Date Elected: 11/2/1954
Date Sworn In: 1/12/1955
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: See Notes
End of Term Status: Departed

Maritial Status: Unknown
Notes: Ran for the seat for the 1st Congressional district and lost in the primary of 1956.
Sixty-Seventh Legislature, 1953-1954
Chamber: Senate
Party: Democratic
Committees Served On: Health and Welfare, Public Utilities
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District: 2
District Description: City of Detroit wards 9, 11, 13 and 15

Date Elected: 11/4/1952
Date Sworn In: 1/14/1953
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: Unknown
End of Term Status: Re-elected

Maritial Status: Unknown
Notes:

Bibliography:

Manual 1953 p. 241; Manual 1955, pp. 176-77; AlWoMin2002 p.328; PolGryd; 1973 SJ p.64, SCR10
View Bibliographical Sources