Willie Brown (politician)

Willie Brown
Brown in February 2006
41st Mayor of San Francisco
In office January 8, 1996 – January 8, 2004
Preceded by	Frank Jordan
Succeeded by	Gavin Newsom
58th Speaker of the California State Assembly
In office December 2, 1980 – June 5, 1995
Preceded by	Leo McCarthy
Succeeded by	Doris Allen
Member of the California State Assembly from District 13
In office 1992–1995
Member of the California State Assembly from District 17
In office 1974–1992
Member of the California State Assembly from District 18
In office 1964–1974
Personal details
Born	Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. (1934-03-20) March 20, 1934 (age 83) Mineola, Texas
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Blanche Vitero, separated
Residence	San Francisco, California
Alma mater	San Francisco State University University of California, Hastings
Profession	Attorney
Religion	Methodist
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army National Guard
Unit	Reserves

Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. (born March 20, 1934) is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served over 30 years in the California State Assembly, spending 15 years as its speaker, and later served as the 41st mayor of San Francisco, the first African American to do so. Under the current California term-limits law, no Speaker of the California State Assembly will be permitted to have a longer tenure than Brown's.The San Francisco Chronicle called Brown "one of San Francisco's most notable mayors" who had "celebrity beyond the city's boundaries."

Brown was born in Mineola, Texas and graduated from Mineola Colored High School in 1951. He moved to San Francisco in 1951, attending San Francisco State University and graduating in 1955 with a degree in liberal studies. Brown earned a J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1958. He spent several years in private practice before gaining election in his second attempt to the California Assembly in 1964. Brown became the Democrats' whip in 1969 and speaker in 1980. He was known for his ability to manage people and maintain party discipline. According to The New York Times, Brown became one of the country's most powerful state legislators. His long tenure and powerful position were used as a focal point of California's initiative campaign to limit the terms of state legislators, which passed in 1990. During the last of his three allowed post-initiative terms, Brown maintained control of the Assembly despite a slim Republican majority by gaining the vote of several Republicans. Near the end of his final term, Brown left the legislature to become mayor of San Francisco.