Knowledge (XXG)

Letitia Woods Brown

Source 📝

311: 372:, where she worked at the local health and welfare council. Brown's efforts in the election campaign to elect an African-American proved successful and Harold Wood was elected to the Westchester County Board of Supervisors. She wrote, "At one point the plan we projected for electing a black to the County Board of Supervisors sounded so convincing we decided we really ought to try it... Harold Wood won the election to become the first back to serve on the Westchester County Board of Supervisors". 578:, under Nell Irvin Painter's presidency, established an award in her name, the Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Book Award in 1983 to honor scholars whose publications in the field of African-American Women's history are the best examples. An annual lecture in history at The Historical Society of Washington, D.C., was named "The Letitia Woods Brown Lecture". The Letitia Woods Brown Fellowship was also established by George Washington University in the field of 288:, segregated school system, where she taught 3rd and 4th grade in 1935 and 1936. She once stated, "The rural black school in the segregated post-depression era was deprived by any standard. There were never enough books and the teacher had to provide her own chalk, paper, pencils...". She subsequently obtained a Master of Arts degree in history from 277:. Matthew Woods was educated at the Tuskegee Institute. Letitia's mother Evadne Woods was one of twelve children born to Lewis Adams and Theodosia Evadne Clark. Her father Lewis Adams was a former slave who became a Tuskegee Normal School trustee and a commissioner in 1881. They all served as educators throughout the southern USA. 380:
Harvard, Brown taught at the university, first as a teacher of social science and later of history, from 1961 to 1970. She was later appointed an associate professor. In addition to teaching and researching for her doctorate dissertation, Brown and her husband trained the earliest group of volunteers for the
564:
Strong, intelligent, good-humored Letitia Woods Brown was instructor to all of us. I cannot imagine the person- man or woman- fortunate enough to be associated with her, who would have been so complacent or so dogmatic as never to have been surprised into new understanding by Letitia. Her creative
849: 379:
There she served at the Bureau of Technical Assistance as an economist. While living in Washington, her interest in the African American history of the District of Columbia grew. In later years, the topic became a major part of Brown's lectures and research. During her course for a doctorate at
598:
was present at the lecture. During the lecture Knapp described Brown as "the first full-time African American professor at George Washington, a scholar of the history of the District of Columbia and a tireless advocate for the preservation of the city's heritage".
857: 33: 430:
in the American Studies Department. Brown was the only black faculty member to serve full-time. She remained a member of George Washington University until her death in 1976. In 1972, Brown travelled again, this time to African cities which include
342:. She continued teaching at LeMoyne-Owen College until 1945. Brown faced the same problem as most black educators during that era, in that they were offered appointments to teaching positions in higher education only in historically 310: 883: 585:
In November 2013, George Washington University organized the Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Lecture to celebrate the memory of Brown in the Jack Morton Auditorium. The ceremony was free and open to the public. Among others,
1360: 546:. She met him while she was pursuing her doctorate in history from Harvard University. Theodore Brown was a doctoral student in Harvard University in the field of economics. He later became an economist. 1355: 391:
At the age of 51, in 1966 Brown completed her PhD history course 18 years after she started, to become one of the first African American woman to obtain a PhD from Harvard University in history.
317: 891: 560:
Professor of philosophy at George Washington University, Roderick S. French said at the memorial service held at National Cathedral's Bethlehem Chapel on August 7, 1976, that:
296:
ancestry were unlikely to continue higher education and pursue degrees. After graduating from Ohio State, Brown and a group of Ohio State University students traveled to
269:, U.S. One of three daughters, Letitia was the second child. The Woodses were a middle-class family; both parents worked as teachers at the Tuskegee Institute (now 1385: 1365: 1086: 280:
Letitia Woods Brown attended Tuskegee Institute, as her father had. She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in 1935, during the middle of the
981: 478:
committee on her return and served there until 1973. Her efforts helped to establish the Columbia Historical Society of Washington, D.C., in 1973.
925: 1250: 575: 241:
during the course of her professional career. Aside from teaching history, Brown wrote and contributed to books on Washington, D.C., such as
1375: 722:"Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Book and Article Award: "Something for me, my family, the race and mankind: Letitia Woods Brown, 1915–1976"" 1370: 1350: 191:, she served as a researcher and historian for over four decades and became one of the first black women to earn a PhD in history from 1380: 1199: 1171: 1189: 1157: 557:
After a career of more than four decades, Brown died at home aged 60 on August 3, 1976, in Washington, DC after battling cancer.
238: 475: 721: 955: 399: 219: 650: 1130: 828: 595: 427: 230: 223: 187:(October 24, 1915 – August 3, 1976) was an American researcher and historian. Earning a master's degree in 1935 from 1122: 1094: 850:"Bday Letitia Woods Brown pioneer in researching and teaching African American history completed PhD at Harvard" 207: 1163: 579: 354: 1242: 989: 549:
They had two children: Lucy Evadne Brown was born in 1948 and Theodore Edward Brown Jr. followed in 1951.
369: 347: 289: 285: 199: 188: 94: 1345: 1340: 591: 361:
where she met Theodore Edward Brown. The couple married in 1947 and moved to her husband's hometown,
335: 274: 820: 320:
Most of the Brown family members attended the Tuskegee Institute, pictured here in a 1910s panorama.
482: 270: 234: 926:"Letitia Woods Brown, one of the first black historians in the country to gain international fame" 334:
in 1937 and worked at the Tuskegee Institute as a history teacher until 1940. In 1940, she joined
1296: 1221: 358: 339: 211: 203: 192: 128: 104: 84: 497:
Apart from serving as a teacher and researcher, Brown wrote and contributed to several books on
304:
history and literature. She later wrote, "That trip was my first sally forth to see the world".
1246: 1195: 1167: 486: 403: 266: 215: 53: 233:
and became the first full-time black member. She also served as a primary consultant for the
498: 376: 343: 293: 281: 406:
in Australia. Brown travelled to every part of southern Asia and southern Europe including
229:
Between 1971 and 1976 she served as a history professor in the African-American faculty of
426:
before returning to America. On her return to the U.S. in 1971 she became a professor at
509: 1334: 1235: 933: 32: 587: 452: 1159:
Notable American Women: A Biographical Dictionary Completing the Twentieth Century
565:
intelligence was continuous, immediate, ultimate by specialization and individual.
1312: 1290: 1271: 542:
Brown married Theodore Edward Brown in 1947 and settled briefly in his hometown,
381: 206:'s instructor in history but left in 1940. Between 1940 and 1945 she worked at 444: 407: 395: 301: 284:. While she continued her education, she briefly served as a teacher in the 1218:
Roderick S. French Records of Columbia Historical Society, Washington, D.C.
448: 415: 1225: 331: 214:, as a tutor. From 1968 to 1971, she served as a Fulbright lecturer at 543: 464: 419: 411: 362: 1273:
Residence Patterns of Negroes in the District of Columbia, 1800–1860
527:
Residence Patterns of Negroes in the District of Columbia, 1800–1860
468: 456: 440: 436: 423: 385: 297: 98: 88: 1191:
American Women Historians, 1700s–1990s: A Biographical Dictionary
460: 651:"American Women Historians, 1700s – 1990s: Letitia Woods Brown" 1021: 1019: 432: 108: 350:
to take additional classes in Eastern history and geography.
222:
followed by a period in 1971 working as a consultant at the
346:
universities and colleges. She returned briefly in 1945 to
1123:"Letitia Woods Brown lecture honors DC Historical studies" 481:
Mastering the use of oral history, she also served in the
265:
24, 1915, to Evadne Clark Adam Woods and Matthew Woods in
1361:
Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences alumni
1188:
Scanlon, Jennifer; Cosner, Shaaron (October 21, 1996).
202:, between 1935 and 1936. Later in 1937, she became the 1220:(50 ed.). Historical Society of Washington, D.C. 793: 791: 789: 787: 785: 783: 781: 779: 777: 775: 773: 771: 769: 744: 742: 1356:
Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni
1237:
Free Negroes in the District of Columbia, 1790-1846
522:
Free Negroes in the District of Columbia, 1790–1846
174: 148: 140: 118: 77: 61: 39: 23: 1234: 338:as a history teacher after a move from Alabama to 1317:. Education Department, National Portrait Gallery 1292:Free Negroes in the Original District of Columbia 532:Free Negroes in the Original District of Columbia 506:Washington from Banneker to Douglass, 1791 – 1870 501:, during her last years. Some of her books are: 353:To seek a PhD degree in history, Brown moved to 1314:Washington from Banneker to Douglass, 1791–1870 1276:. Washington, D.C.: Columbia Historical Society 1087:"Monday open thread prominent black historians" 562: 1311:Lewis, Elsie M.; Brown, Letitia Woods (1971). 728:, Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH) 657:, Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH) 1025: 912: 8: 956:"October Highlights in U.S. Women's History" 821:"Lecture celebrate contributions DC History" 261:Letitia Christine Woods) was born on October 1233:Brown, Letitia Woods (September 14, 1972). 1116: 1114: 1112: 715: 713: 711: 709: 707: 705: 703: 701: 699: 697: 695: 693: 691: 645: 643: 641: 639: 637: 1010: 877: 875: 814: 812: 810: 808: 806: 689: 687: 685: 683: 681: 679: 677: 675: 673: 671: 635: 633: 631: 629: 627: 625: 623: 621: 619: 617: 31: 20: 330:On her return from Haiti, Brown moved to 384:in preparation for a 1961 deployment in 273:), an industrial college established by 198:As a teacher, she started her career in 613: 485:'s Black Women Oral History project at 243:Free Negroes In The District, 1791-1846 1073: 516:Washington in the New Era, 1870 – 1970 375:The family again relocated in 1956 to 1386:20th-century African-American writers 1061: 1049: 1037: 576:Association of Black Women Historians 292:in 1937. It was a time when women of 7: 1366:George Washington University faculty 1121:Lopez, Julyssa (November 18, 2013). 819:Lopez, Julyssa (November 13, 2013). 797: 760: 748: 247:Washington in the New Era, 1870–1970 518:(1972) co-authored by Richard Wade. 300:to pursue academic knowledge about 14: 884:"Letitia Woods Brown (1915–1976)" 574:Following her death in 1976, the 309: 239:Black Women Oral History Project 988:. Women Studies. Archived from 476:American Historical Association 164: 1194:. Greenwood Publishing Group. 400:Australian National University 16:American historian (1915–1976) 1: 1289:Brown, Letitia Woods (1966). 1270:Brown, Letitia Woods (1971). 220:Australia National University 1216:French, Roderick S. (1980). 1131:George Washington University 982:"October in Women's history" 829:George Washington University 596:George Washington University 428:George Washington University 231:George Washington University 1376:African-American historians 224:Federal Executive Institute 1402: 1371:Harvard University faculty 1351:Tuskegee University alumni 394:In 1968 Brown served as a 1381:American women historians 1026:Scanlon & Cosner 1996 932:. U Texas. Archived from 913:Scanlon & Cosner 1996 890:. msu.edu. Archived from 489:as a primary consultant. 30: 1164:Harvard University Press 1091:pragmaticobotsunite.com/ 580:African American history 355:Cambridge, Massachusetts 253:Early life and education 1243:Oxford University Press 1127:George Washington Today 882:Lopez D. Matthews, Jr. 825:George Washington Today 1011:Lewis & Brown 1971 567: 508:(1971) co-authored by 370:Mount Vernon, New York 144:1935–1976 (as teacher) 72:Washington, D.C., U.S. 986:womenstudies.unm.edu/ 348:Ohio State University 290:Ohio State University 286:Macon County, Alabama 257:Letitia Woods Brown ( 200:Macon County, Alabama 189:Ohio State University 154:Theodore Edward Brown 95:Ohio State University 1264:Letitia Woods Brown. 1156:Ware, Susan (2004). 992:on February 15, 2019 368:They moved again to 336:LeMoyne-Owen College 275:Booker T. Washington 208:LeMoyne–Owen College 483:Schlesinger Library 271:Tuskegee University 235:Schlesinger Library 185:Letitia Woods Brown 25:Letitia Woods Brown 1297:Harvard University 359:Harvard University 340:Memphis, Tennessee 212:Memphis, Tennessee 204:Tuskegee Institute 193:Harvard University 129:community activist 105:Harvard University 85:Tuskegee Institute 1252:978-0-19-501552-2 962:. Rowan Education 763:, pp. 83–84. 487:Radcliffe College 474:Brown joined the 404:Monash University 267:Tuskegee, Alabama 216:Monash University 182: 181: 141:Years active 54:Tuskegee, Alabama 1393: 1326: 1324: 1322: 1307: 1305: 1303: 1285: 1283: 1281: 1266: 1261: 1259: 1240: 1229: 1212: 1210: 1208: 1184: 1182: 1180: 1142: 1141: 1139: 1137: 1118: 1107: 1106: 1104: 1102: 1097:on March 4, 2016 1093:. Archived from 1083: 1077: 1071: 1065: 1059: 1053: 1047: 1041: 1035: 1029: 1023: 1014: 1008: 1002: 1001: 999: 997: 978: 972: 971: 969: 967: 952: 946: 945: 943: 941: 922: 916: 910: 904: 903: 901: 899: 894:on March 5, 2016 879: 870: 869: 867: 865: 860:on March 5, 2016 856:. Archived from 846: 840: 839: 837: 835: 816: 801: 795: 764: 758: 752: 746: 737: 736: 735: 733: 717: 666: 665: 664: 662: 647: 499:Washington, D.C. 377:Washington, D.C. 344:African American 313: 294:African American 282:Great Depression 264: 168: 166: 68: 50:October 24, 1915 49: 47: 35: 21: 1401: 1400: 1396: 1395: 1394: 1392: 1391: 1390: 1331: 1330: 1329: 1320: 1318: 1310: 1301: 1299: 1288: 1279: 1277: 1269: 1257: 1255: 1253: 1232: 1215: 1206: 1204: 1202: 1187: 1178: 1176: 1174: 1155: 1151: 1146: 1145: 1135: 1133: 1120: 1119: 1110: 1100: 1098: 1085: 1084: 1080: 1072: 1068: 1064:, pp. 1–2. 1060: 1056: 1052:, pp. 1–2. 1048: 1044: 1040:, pp. 1–2. 1036: 1032: 1024: 1017: 1009: 1005: 995: 993: 980: 979: 975: 965: 963: 954: 953: 949: 939: 937: 936:on May 17, 2020 924: 923: 919: 911: 907: 897: 895: 881: 880: 873: 863: 861: 848: 847: 843: 833: 831: 818: 817: 804: 796: 767: 759: 755: 747: 740: 731: 729: 720:Jones, Ida E., 719: 718: 669: 660: 658: 649: 648: 615: 610: 605: 572: 555: 540: 495: 328: 323: 322: 321: 319: 314: 262: 255: 170: 167: 1947) 162: 158: 155: 136: 114: 78:Alma mater 73: 70: 66: 57: 51: 45: 43: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1399: 1397: 1389: 1388: 1383: 1378: 1373: 1368: 1363: 1358: 1353: 1348: 1343: 1333: 1332: 1328: 1327: 1308: 1286: 1267: 1251: 1230: 1213: 1201:978-0313296642 1200: 1185: 1172: 1162:(5 ed.). 1152: 1150: 1147: 1144: 1143: 1108: 1078: 1076:, p. 522. 1066: 1054: 1042: 1030: 1015: 1003: 973: 947: 917: 905: 888:h-net.msu.edu/ 871: 841: 802: 765: 753: 738: 667: 612: 611: 609: 606: 604: 601: 571: 568: 554: 551: 539: 536: 535: 534: 529: 524: 519: 513: 510:Elsie M. Lewis 494: 491: 327: 324: 316: 315: 308: 307: 306: 254: 251: 180: 179: 176: 172: 171: 160: 156: 153: 152: 150: 146: 145: 142: 138: 137: 135: 134: 131: 126: 122: 120: 116: 115: 113: 112: 102: 92: 81: 79: 75: 74: 71: 69:(aged 60) 65:August 3, 1976 63: 59: 58: 52: 41: 37: 36: 28: 27: 24: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1398: 1387: 1384: 1382: 1379: 1377: 1374: 1372: 1369: 1367: 1364: 1362: 1359: 1357: 1354: 1352: 1349: 1347: 1344: 1342: 1339: 1338: 1336: 1316: 1315: 1309: 1298: 1294: 1293: 1287: 1275: 1274: 1268: 1265: 1254: 1248: 1244: 1239: 1238: 1231: 1227: 1223: 1219: 1214: 1203: 1197: 1193: 1192: 1186: 1175: 1173:9780674014886 1169: 1165: 1161: 1160: 1154: 1153: 1148: 1132: 1128: 1124: 1117: 1115: 1113: 1109: 1096: 1092: 1088: 1082: 1079: 1075: 1070: 1067: 1063: 1058: 1055: 1051: 1046: 1043: 1039: 1034: 1031: 1028:, p. 32. 1027: 1022: 1020: 1016: 1012: 1007: 1004: 991: 987: 983: 977: 974: 961: 957: 951: 948: 935: 931: 927: 921: 918: 915:, p. 31. 914: 909: 906: 893: 889: 885: 878: 876: 872: 859: 855: 851: 845: 842: 830: 826: 822: 815: 813: 811: 809: 807: 803: 800:, p. 84. 799: 794: 792: 790: 788: 786: 784: 782: 780: 778: 776: 774: 772: 770: 766: 762: 757: 754: 751:, p. 83. 750: 745: 743: 739: 727: 723: 716: 714: 712: 710: 708: 706: 704: 702: 700: 698: 696: 694: 692: 690: 688: 686: 684: 682: 680: 678: 676: 674: 672: 668: 656: 652: 646: 644: 642: 640: 638: 636: 634: 632: 630: 628: 626: 624: 622: 620: 618: 614: 607: 602: 600: 597: 593: 589: 583: 582:and culture. 581: 577: 569: 566: 561: 558: 552: 550: 547: 545: 538:Personal life 537: 533: 530: 528: 525: 523: 520: 517: 514: 511: 507: 504: 503: 502: 500: 492: 490: 488: 484: 479: 477: 472: 470: 466: 462: 458: 454: 450: 446: 442: 438: 434: 429: 425: 421: 417: 413: 409: 405: 401: 397: 392: 389: 387: 383: 378: 373: 371: 366: 364: 360: 356: 351: 349: 345: 341: 337: 333: 325: 318: 312: 305: 303: 299: 295: 291: 287: 283: 278: 276: 272: 268: 260: 252: 250: 248: 244: 240: 236: 232: 227: 225: 221: 217: 213: 209: 205: 201: 196: 194: 190: 186: 177: 173: 151: 147: 143: 139: 132: 130: 127: 124: 123: 121: 117: 110: 106: 103: 100: 96: 93: 90: 86: 83: 82: 80: 76: 64: 60: 55: 42: 38: 34: 29: 22: 19: 1319:. Retrieved 1313: 1300:. Retrieved 1291: 1278:. Retrieved 1272: 1263: 1256:. Retrieved 1236: 1217: 1205:. Retrieved 1190: 1177:. Retrieved 1158: 1149:Bibliography 1134:. Retrieved 1126: 1099:. Retrieved 1095:the original 1090: 1081: 1069: 1057: 1045: 1033: 1013:, p. 2. 1006: 994:. Retrieved 990:the original 985: 976: 964:. Retrieved 959: 950: 938:. Retrieved 934:the original 929: 920: 908: 896:. Retrieved 892:the original 887: 862:. Retrieved 858:the original 853: 844: 832:. Retrieved 824: 756: 730:, retrieved 725: 659:, retrieved 654: 588:Steven Knapp 584: 573: 563: 559: 556: 548: 541: 531: 526: 521: 515: 505: 496: 480: 473: 398:lecturer at 393: 390: 374: 367: 357:, to attend 352: 329: 279: 258: 256: 246: 242: 228: 197: 184: 183: 67:(1976-08-03) 18: 1346:1976 deaths 1341:1915 births 1321:January 13, 1302:January 13, 1280:January 13, 1258:January 13, 1207:January 12, 1179:January 12, 1136:January 12, 1101:January 12, 1074:French 1980 996:January 13, 966:January 12, 940:January 12, 930:utexas.edu/ 898:January 12, 864:January 13, 834:January 12, 732:January 12, 661:January 12, 455:, Ibandan, 382:Peace Corps 119:Occupations 1335:Categories 1062:Brown 1966 1050:Brown 1971 1038:Brown 1972 960:rowan.edu/ 603:References 590:, current 133:researcher 46:1915-10-24 854:nwhp.org/ 798:Ware 2004 761:Ware 2004 749:Ware 2004 726:abwh.org/ 655:abwh.org/ 608:Citations 592:president 445:Marrakesh 408:Singapore 396:Fulbright 302:Caribbean 125:Historian 1226:40067835 449:Timbuktu 416:Istanbul 175:Children 332:Alabama 169:​ 161:​ 157:​ 1249:  1224:  1198:  1170:  570:Legacy 544:Harlem 465:Kumasi 420:France 412:Jaipur 363:Harlem 326:Career 263:  149:Spouse 56:, U.S. 1222:JSTOR 553:Death 493:Books 469:Luxor 457:Benin 441:Segou 437:Cairo 424:Italy 386:Ghana 298:Haiti 163:( 159: 1323:2015 1304:2015 1282:2015 1260:2015 1247:ISBN 1209:2015 1196:ISBN 1181:2015 1168:ISBN 1138:2015 1103:2015 998:2015 968:2015 942:2015 900:2015 866:2015 836:2015 734:2015 663:2015 467:and 461:Axum 422:and 402:and 245:and 218:and 62:Died 40:Born 594:of 453:Fez 433:Gao 259:née 237:'s 226:. 210:in 195:. 109:PhD 1337:: 1295:. 1262:. 1245:. 1241:. 1166:. 1129:. 1125:. 1111:^ 1089:. 1018:^ 984:. 958:. 928:. 886:. 874:^ 852:. 827:. 823:. 805:^ 768:^ 741:^ 724:, 670:^ 653:, 616:^ 471:. 463:, 459:, 451:, 447:, 443:, 439:, 435:, 418:, 414:, 410:, 388:. 365:. 249:. 165:m. 99:MA 89:BS 1325:. 1306:. 1284:. 1228:. 1211:. 1183:. 1140:. 1105:. 1000:. 970:. 944:. 902:. 868:. 838:. 512:. 178:2 111:) 107:( 101:) 97:( 91:) 87:( 48:) 44:(

Index


Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee Institute
BS
Ohio State University
MA
Harvard University
PhD
community activist
Ohio State University
Harvard University
Macon County, Alabama
Tuskegee Institute
LeMoyne–Owen College
Memphis, Tennessee
Monash University
Australia National University
Federal Executive Institute
George Washington University
Schlesinger Library
Black Women Oral History Project
Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee University
Booker T. Washington
Great Depression
Macon County, Alabama
Ohio State University
African American
Haiti
Caribbean

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.