Interview with Willard J. Brown, June 22, 1982

Interview Summary

Willard Brown was born in Louisiana. He was an outfielder in the Negro Leagues and played briefly in the Major Leagues. He was the first African American to hit a homerun in the American League, and also played in Puerto Rico. In 2006, he was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame. In this interview, he talks about his early career in baseball, his experiences during World War II, his playing for the Kansas City Monarchs and the St. Louis Browns, and his reasons for eventually leaving the Browns. He describes the effects segregation had on his baseball career and some of the frustrations that he faced due to discrimination at that time.

Interview Keyword

Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler Baseball Baseball Commissioner Kansas City Monarchs Puerto Rico Baseball

Interview LC Subject

African Americans. Baseball Baseball--United States Brown, Willard Brown, Willard--Interviews Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991 Negro leagues

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.