Interview with J. Michael Brown, January 14, 2014

Interview Summary

Justice Brown discusses his life and career and experience as a Judge in Jefferson County Kentucky. Justice Brown was born in New York City, May 21, 1949. His father was a World War II veteran. In 1963 Brown earned a spot in the Bronx High School of Science. A school with 1 percent African American population. He earned a Regents Scholarship and was planning to attend Brown University when family events altered plans and he enrolled at City College of New York. His served in the Army and broke multiple race barriers. After his Army career he entered law school at the University of Louisville and earned his degree in 1979. Brown served as the first African American of the Louisville Bar Association. Brown was appointed by Governor Beshear in 2007 to serve as Secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

Interview Keyword

101st Division 173rd Airborne 82nd Airborne Division All-black 369th National Guard Bronx High School of Science City College of New York Denise Clayton Ernie Jasmine Flight School Ft. Campbell Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear Janice Martin Jefferson County Kentucky Judge Charles Anderson Judge Shobe Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Louisville Bar Association Martha Layne Collins Regents Scholarship Secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet University of Louisville William MacAnulty

Interview LC Subject

Judges--Kentucky Law--Kentucky Lawyers--Kentucky

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.