Alma Arrington Brown passed away on April 3. She was the widow of former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ronald Brown. (Photo U.S. Department of Commerce)
Alma Arrington Brown, wife of the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown and a prominent advocate on behalf of children and under-served communities, died on April 3, exactly 20 years to the day of her husband’s death. Brown died in Washington, D.C. after a brief illness. She was 76.
“Our mother was not only an inspiring role model to our family, she was an inspiration to countless young people who benefited from her tireless community service and generous education philanthropy,” her daughter Tracey Brown James said in a statement released by the family. “Her extensive career transcended many fields as an educator, community leader, political activist, banker and broadcaster and paved the way for so many to lead public service-oriented lives.”
Arrington met Brown during the summer of 1959 in Sag Harbor, a village in Suffolk County, New York, when they were college students. They married in 1962 and lived overseas while he completed his military service. In 1967, the couple returned to New York before moving to D.C. in 1975, where they settled and raised their two children, Michael and Tracey.
In a joint statement released by Bill and Hillary Clinton they said: “Alma devoted her life to her family and doing good and she encouraged her family and friends to do the same. She and Ron were quite a team, and after his tragic death – twenty years to the day before she died – Alma redoubled her efforts on behalf of children, college students and underserved communities. She leaves a legacy of grace, strength and unflagging commitment. We were so lucky to have her in our lives.” Ronald Brown served as the Secretary of Commerce under then President Bill Clinton. He died in a plane crash in 1996.
Former D.C. Councilmember and long-time family friend Harry Thomas, Jr. told the AFRO that Brown would be remembered as both a pillar of her family and the many charitable organizations to which she belonged.
“It is a very heartbreaking since I’ve spent time with her – Mike and I were friends—she and my mom were very much alike – strong, Black women, who were the backbones of their families,” Thomas said. “She endured a lot with Ron Brown and what her son, Michael went through, but she remained a pillar of strength and kept things together.” Michael Brown was sentenced to 39 months in prison after being convicted of a bribery charge.
“It’s just a very sad day and for the causes in which she was involved, she was the type of person who didn’t have to be out front and celebrated, she simply wanted to get the work done. She was committed to seeing change and has left an indelible mark on all of those she knew,” Thomas said.
Brown helped establish the Ronald H. Brown Foundation, and its policy center for domestic and international commercial growth, as well as the Ron Brown Scholars Program, after her husband’s death in 1996.
“We are mourning the passing of our matriarch, Alma Arrington Brown. We are honored to have known her,” Michael A. Mallory, executive director, Ron Brown Scholar Program told the AFRO. “In addition to her many contributions to our program, her lasting impact will be the Ron Brown Scholar Community Service Foundation.
Brown remained active with national and community social, civic and political organizations throughout her life. She served on numerous national boards including the Board of Trustees of Fisk University, the National Urban League, and Providence Hospital as well as on the local advisory board of the United Negro College Fund and the American Cancer Society. She held leadership roles in many social and civic organizations including the Links, Jack and Jill, the Girlfriends, and National Smart Set.
Brown leaves her two children, Michael and Tracey; grandchildren Morgan, Ryan, Harmon and Caleb; and a host of friends and colleagues from across the country and around the world.
Brown’s funeral has been scheduled for April 12. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Ron Brown Scholar Program (ronbrown.org). Check afro.com for updates on funeral details.