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West Virginia NAACP President Owens Brown appointed to West Virginia Senate


WHEELING, W.Va. — West Virginia NAACP President Owens Brown has been appointed to the state Senate from the 1st District, Gov. Jim Justice announced. The district covers Brooke, Hancock, Ohio and part of Marshall.

Brown, 69, of Wheeling, is the first African American serving in the West Virginia Senate in over 30 years, and the first African American man ever to serve in the state Senate, according to Justice.

“I congratulate him beyond belief. He will do an incredible job, I know he will. I am so, so proud of this … because we need diversity, we need other opinions,” Justice said. “… It’s a really, really good day.”

Brown is retired as a developmental specialist with the West Virginia Education Association, and during his 28 years there he also served as human and civil rights coordinator. He holds a masters degree in agency counseling from West Virginia University, a bachelors degree in psychology from the former West Liberty State College, and an associate degree in electro/mechanical engineering from Belmont Technical College.

In 1983, he was selected as a special delegate to the United Nations to review the North American strategy against Apartheid in South Africa.

Source: WV News