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Willie Lewis Brown, Jr.

Willie Brown
Willie Brown in 2006.jpg
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.


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