Hattiesburg's Charles Brown endows scholarship at Carey. 'So much has been given to me'
You might have seen Charles Brown's name on any number of buildings in Hattiesburg, an honor bestowed on the octogenarian for his many years of community service in the Hub City.
As a young man, Brown never expected to spend most of his life in his hometown, but he is glad that he did.
Brown said when he left Hattiesburg to join the military, he had no plans to return, but God had other plans for his life.
After graduating in 1958 from the segregated Rowan High School, he served in the Army until 1969. He was awarded two Purple Heart medals for injuries he sustained during the Vietnam War. He also received two Bronze Star medals for valor.
He received other citations during the war. He served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade and reached the rank of platoon sergeant.
Brown's military career was cut short when he was medically discharged. He was told in 1969 that he may end up paralyzed from the waist down in five to 10 years. With that news, Brown felt he had no choice but to come home.
"It was the best thing that ever happened to me," he said.
Brown enrolled at William Carey University, which voluntarily began accepting Black students in 1965. Brown graduated in 1973 and went on to have a 27-year career with the Mississippi Employment Security Commission.
It was while Brown was a student at WCU that he met his wife Christine. The couple had twin sons, Jerome Brown and Jermaine Brown.
In addition to contributing both time and money to various organizations in Hattiesburg, Brown continued to support his alma mater through the years.
"So much has been given to me," he said. "So many strangers mentored me. I need to give something back."
It was those contributions that inspired the Brown family to start the Charles J. Brown endowed scholarship at WCU as a legacy to the father of two and role model for so many others.
The scholarship was announced Wednesday at WCU during a reception in Charles Brown's honor on the day before his 86th birthday.
WCU president Ben Burnett said during the reception he was told by Brown the reason Brown chose WCU.
"He wanted to go to a school where he could pray," Burnett said.
He went on to say that although many changes have taken place at WCU since Brown graduated more than 50 years ago, but not the university's mission to "provide quality educational programs, within a caring Christian academic community."
"One thing we are not going to change is to be a haven for people who want to come to a Christian university and have a place where they can freely pray," Burnett said.
The scholarship will be available to Hattiesburg natives who graduate from Hattiesburg High School with a minimum GPA of 2.75. Preference will be given to education majors and students involved in community service.
"Mr. Brown and his family established this scholarship because he wants to use what God has blessed him with to help students get an education while growing in their faith," the university said in a news release.
Jermaine Brown and Jerome Brown spoke about their father's passion for community service and felt the scholarship would be the best way to honor their father and provide a lasting legacy to the university.
"He understands giving back, and he made sure that we understand that," Jerome Brown said. "It's an honor for Jermaine and I."
How to help
For information on how to contribute to the Charles J. Brown scholarship fund or other university fundraising initiatives, visit wmcarey.edu/office/advancement.
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This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Hattiesburg's Charles Brown, William Carey announce new scholarship
