Background: Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., was a Tuskegee Airman during World War II, a college educator, and a civil rights leader. He passed away died at the age of 94 in the Bronx, NY.

During World War II, Dr. Brown flew 68 combat missions as a fighter squadron commander of the Nation’s belatedly celebrated first Black military aviators, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, based in Tuskegee, Alabama. Dr. Brown was the commander of this elite unit, and known as the first African American fighter pilot to shoot down a German military jet.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Brown played a subtle yet influential role in local political and municipal affairs as an adviser to Black elected officials. He founded and served as the first president of 100 Black Men, a civic group formed in New York City in 1963 using the number as a symbol of solidarity in its effort to improve conditions among African-Americans in the City.

Dr. Brown also had a distinguished career as an educator. After directing the Institute of Afro-American Affairs at New York University, where he taught as a professor of education, he went on to serve as president of Bronx Community College from 1977 to 1993. He also served as the Director of the Center for Education Policy at the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York.

Dedication of the Morris Heights Post Office will be a lasting tribute to Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr.’s steadfast commitment to the United States of America and his dedication to New York City.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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