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Oscar Brown Jr. (October 10, 1926May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet,
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
activist, and actor. Aside from his career, Brown ran unsuccessfully for office in both the
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
state legislature A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
and the
U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...
. Brown wrote many songs (125 have been published), 12 albums, and more than a dozen musical plays.


Early life and education

Brown was born in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, United States, to Oscar Brown Sr. and Helen (née Clark). Brown's father was an attorney and real estate broker. Brown's first acting debut was on the radio show ''Secret City'' at the age of 15. After graduating from Englewood High School, Brown attended
University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...
then Lincoln University but later dropped out. During Brown's twenties, he worked as the "world's first Black newscaster" for ''Negro Newsfront'', a Chicago radio program that he coproduced with
Vernon Jarrett Vernon Daurice Jarrett (born Daurice Vernon Jarrett; June 19, 1918Jarrett's year of birth according to the 1920 United States Census, U.S. Social Security Death Index, and the U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index is 1918. Conflicting ...
. He worked briefly in real estate and public relations before running for political offices: for the Illinois Legislature in 1948 through the Progressive Party, and for the U. S. House of Representatives as a Republican in 1952. During this period, 1946 to 1956, he was a member of the
Communist Party USA The Communist Party USA, officially the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA), is a communist party in the United States which was established in 1919 after a split in the Socialist Party of America following the Russian Revo ...
; he quit when he decided that he was "just too black to be red." Later he served two years in the U. S. Army.


Career


Radio

Brown was a contributor to the weekly WMAQ Chicago radio series ''
Destination Freedom ''Destination Freedom'' was a weekly radio program produced by WMAQ in Chicago from 1948 to 1950 that presented biographical histories of prominent African-Americans such as George Washington Carver, Satchel Paige, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tu ...
'' (written by
Richard Durham Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...
) both during its early years (1948–1949) and in the 1950 revival.


Music

Brown's father intended for him to follow in his footsteps and become a practicing lawyer. While he did help his father at his practice, he ventured off into other careers such as advertising and served in the US Army in the mid-1950s. He also wrote songs. In the early 1950s, Brown was hired as a copy-writer by a small Chicago advertising company on Rush Street, Gershuny and Associates, owned by Sam Gershuny and Sheldon Sosna. At that time, Rush Street was totally segregated, and Sam and Shelly took him to Adolf's, an upscale Italian restaurant. As soon as they walked in, the owner sent a busboy to inform that the boss “did not want to serve Negroes in his restaurant.” However, they refused to leave until he finally decided to serve them. They repeated this activity in many restaurants on Rush Street. A fraternity brother of Gershuny and Sosna owned a string of hotels and approached them about advertising his hotels, by sponsoring two hours of the news in the morning on a black radio station. They decided to make Oscar Brown Jr. the
disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music f ...
for the segment, from 5:30 to 7:30 in the morning. Unfortunately, they discovered Oscar not arriving on time. Also, Brown would make politically controversial comments about the on-going
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. As a result, he was released from the job. When
Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to t ...
recorded one of his songs, "Brown Baby", he began to focus on a career as a songwriter. His first major contribution to a recorded work was a collaboration with
Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz Jazz drumming, drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in h ...
, ''
We Insist! ''We Insist!'' (subtitled ''Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite'') is a jazz album released on Candid Records in 1961. It contains a suite which composer and drummer Max Roach and lyricist Oscar Brown had begun to develop in 1959 with a view to its perf ...
'', which was an early record celebrating the black freedom movement in the United States.
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
signed Brown as a solo artist, who was by now in his mid-thirties and married with five children. In 1960, Brown released his first LP, ''Sin & Soul'', recorded from June 20 to October 23, 1960. Printed on the cover of the album were personal reviews by well-known celebrities and jazz musicians of the time, including
Steve Allen Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-cre ...
, Lorraine Hansberry,
Nat Hentoff Nathan Irving Hentoff (June 10, 1925 – January 7, 2017) was an American historian, novelist, jazz and country music critic, and syndicated columnist for United Media. Hentoff was a columnist for ''The Village Voice'' from 1958 to 2009. Fol ...
, Dorothy Killgallen,
Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz Jazz drumming, drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in h ...
and
Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...
(Simone would later cover his "Work Song" and Steve Allen would later hire him for his ''
Jazz Scene USA ''Jazz Scene USA'' was an American television program of 26 30-minute episodes recorded in 1962, which featured performances by leading jazz musicians of the time. It was produced by Jimmie Baker, directed by Steve Binder, and (except for the fi ...
'' television program). The album is regarded as a "true classic" for openly tackling the experiences of African Americans with songs such as "Bid 'Em In" and "
Afro Blue "Afro Blue" is a jazz standard composed by Mongo Santamaría. Santamaria version Mongo Santamaria recorded his composition "Afro Blue" in 1959 when playing with the Cal Tjader Sextet. The first recorded performance was on April 20, 1959, at th ...
". ''Sin & Soul'' is also significant because Brown took several popular jazz instrumentals and combined them with self-penned lyrics on songs such as "
Dat Dere "Dat Dere" is a jazz song written by Bobby Timmons that was recorded in 1960. Lyrics were written later by Oscar Brown, Jr. Recording and lyrics The song was first recorded by Bobby Timmons in his debut album '' This Here Is Bobby Timmons'' (Ja ...
", "
Afro Blue "Afro Blue" is a jazz standard composed by Mongo Santamaría. Santamaria version Mongo Santamaria recorded his composition "Afro Blue" in 1959 when playing with the Cal Tjader Sextet. The first recorded performance was on April 20, 1959, at th ...
" and "
Work Song A work song is a piece of music closely connected to a form of work, either sung while conducting a task (usually to coordinate timing) or a song linked to a task which might be a connected narrative, description, or protest song. Definitions and ...
". This began a trend that would continue with several other major jazz vocalists. Several of the tracks from ''Sin & Soul'' were embraced by the 1960s
Mod Mod, MOD or mods may refer to: Places * Modesto City–County Airport, Stanislaus County, California, US Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Mods (band), a Norwegian rock band * M.O.D. (Method of Destruction), a band from New York City, US ...
movement, such as "Humdrum Blues", "Work Song" and
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...
's, " Watermelon Man". ''Sin & Soul'' was followed by ''Between Heaven and Hell'' (1962). The success of ''Sin & Soul'' meant that much more money was spent on production and
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
and
Ralph Burns Ralph Joseph P. Burns (June 29, 1922 – November 21, 2001) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Burns was born in Newton, Massachusetts, United States, where he began playing the piano as a child. In 1938, he attend ...
were bought in to handle the arrangements. However, Brown was soon to fall down the pecking order at Columbia following a rearrangement of the management at the company. His third album was notable for the lack of any self-composed songs, and Columbia was having a hard time packaging him as an artist. They were unsure whether Brown was suited to middle-of-the-road/
easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
nightclubs or alternatively should be presented as a jazz artist. Brown was given much more creative freedom for his fourth album, ''Tells It Like It Is'' (1963), and he was back to his creative best, composing songs such as " The Snake", which became a Northern soul classic when it was covered by
Al Wilson Aldra Kauwa Wilson (born June 21, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and ...
, and has featured on several adverts. Despite this return to form, and having been told by the new head of Columbia, that he was high on the company's priorities, his contract at Columbia was not renewed.


Stage and television

He attempted to mount a major musical stage show in New York City called ''Kicks & Co.'' in 1961. Host
Dave Garroway David Cunningham Garroway (July 13, 1913 – July 21, 1982) was an American television personality. He was the founding host and anchor of NBC's ''Today'' from 1952 to 1961. His easygoing and relaxing style belied a lifelong battle with depressi ...
turned over an entire broadcast of the ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 A ...
'' show to Brown to perform numbers from the show and try to raise the necessary funds to launch it on the stage. ''Kicks & Co.'' is set on an all-African-American college campus in the American South during the early days of attempted
desegregation Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups, usually referring to races. Desegregation is typically measured by the index of dissimilarity, allowing researchers to determine whether desegregation efforts are having impact o ...
. The character Mr. Kicks is an emissary of
Satan Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
, sent to try to derail these efforts in which the play's protagonist, Ernest Black, has become involved. This was the first of several theatrical endeavors by Brown, and like all of them, the public was not won over sufficiently to allow financial success, despite acclaim by some critics. His longest-running relative success, thanks to the participation of
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...
, was ''Buck White''. Another notable musical show, ''Joy'', saw two incarnations (in 1966 and 1969) and again addressed social issues. Appearing with Brown were his wife, Jean Pace, and the Brazilian singer/accordionist
Sivuca Severino Dias de Oliveira (May 26, 1930 – December 14, 2006), known professionally as Sivuca, was a Brazilian accordionist, guitarist and singer. In addition to his home state of Paraíba, Brazil, and cities Recife and Rio de Janeiro, he worked ...
.
RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...
released the original cast recording around 1970; it is long out of print. In 1962, he worked on the Westinghouse syndicated television program ''
Jazz Scene USA ''Jazz Scene USA'' was an American television program of 26 30-minute episodes recorded in 1962, which featured performances by leading jazz musicians of the time. It was produced by Jimmie Baker, directed by Steve Binder, and (except for the fi ...
'', produced by
Steve Allen Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-cre ...
. Brown was the show's presenter and it featured a new musical guest each week.


Personal life

Brown was married to Jean Pace, the older sister of actress
Judy Pace Judy Lenteen Pace (born June 15, 1942) is an American actress known for her roles in films and television shows, particularly blaxploitation films. Pace portrayed Vickie Fletcher on the TV series '' Peyton Place'' (1968–1969) and Pat Walters on ...
. He was the father of seven children. His son Oscar "BoBo" Brown III was a bassist and musical arranger who died in a car crash in August 1996. His daughter,
Maggie Maggie is a common short form of the name Magdalena, Magnolia, Margaret. Maggie may refer to: People Women * Maggie Adamson, Scottish musician * Maggie Aderin-Pocock (born 1968), British scientist * Maggie Alderson (born 1959), Aust ...
, is a singer. A Chicago musical review referred to the trio as "The First Family of Swing." They were joined by the youngest daughter, Africa Pace Brown, in an effort to popularize his music. Brown's first son, Napoleon "David" Brown, inspired the song "Brown Baby" and helped his father promotional appearances and business. The remaining family members consist of Donna Brown Kane, Joan Olivia Brown, and Iantha Brown Casen, who participated in some of her father's production. On May 29, 2005, Oscar Brown died in his hometown of Chicago from
osteomyelitis Osteomyelitis (OM) is an infection of bone. Symptoms may include pain in a specific bone with overlying redness, fever, and weakness. The long bones of the arms and legs are most commonly involved in children e.g. the femur and humerus, while the ...
at the age of 78.


Humanitarian work

Brown founded the Oscar Brown Jr. H.I.P. Legacy Foundation to continue his humanitarian work. He participated in an anti-apartheid protest rally in Compton College in 1976. Brown wrote the
vocalese Vocalese is a style of jazz singing in which words are added to an instrumental soloist's improvisation. Definition Vocalese uses recognizable lyrics that are sung to pre-existing instrumental solos, as opposed to scat singing, which uses nonsen ...
lyrics to the
Duke Pearson Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson Jr. (August 17, 1932 – August 4, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer. ''Allmusic'' describes him as having a "big part in shaping the Blue Note label's hard bop direction in the 1960s as a record produ ...
melody "Jeannine" as sung by
Eddie Jefferson Eddie Jefferson (August 3, 1918 – May 9, 1979) was an American jazz vocalist and lyricist. He is credited as an innovator of vocalese, a musical style in which lyrics are set to an instrumental composition or solo. Jefferson himself claims t ...
on the album ''The Main Man'' recorded in October 1974 and covered by
The Manhattan Transfer The Manhattan Transfer is a Grammy award–winning vocal group founded in 1969 that has explored a cappella, vocalese, swing, standards, Brazilian jazz, rhythm and blues, and pop music. There have been two editions of the Manhattan Transfer, ...
on their 1984 album ''
Bop Doo-Wopp ''Bop Doo-Wopp'' is the eighth studio album by The Manhattan Transfer, released in 1984 on the Atlantic Records label. Six of the ten tracks on ''Bop Doo-Wopp'' are live performances. The album contains the song " Route 66" which originally app ...
''. "Somebody Buy Me a Drink", a track from ''Sin & Soul'', was covered by
David Johansen David Roger Johansen (sometimes spelled ''David Jo Hansen''; born January 9, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal proto-punk band the New York Dolls. He is also known for his work under ...
and the Harry Smiths on their eponymous first album. "Hymn to Friday" from ''Between Heaven and Hell'' is played on jazz radio stations such as
WDCB WDCB (90.9 FM) is a public radio station broadcasting a jazz format, serving primarily the Chicago area, and beyond through its streaming audio. The station is licensed to and owned by College of DuPage, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, United States, a ...
. Pianist
Wynton Kelly Wynton Charles Kelly (December 2, 1931 – April 12, 1971) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He is known for his lively, blues-based playing and as one of the finest accompanists in jazz. He began playing professionally at the age of ...
recorded "Strongman" with his trio in the late 1950s.
Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...
popularized Brown's lyrics to "Work Song", "Afro Blue", and "Bid 'Em In.""Oscar Brown Jr. recognized as one of Chicago’s top artistic creators"
, ''Chicago Defender'', June 30, 2010.
Brown's lyrics to "Afro Blue" have been performed by
Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer. Biography Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mother played trumpet, her uncle is bassist Charles Burrell, and h ...
,
Dee Dee Bridgewater Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...
, and
Lizz Wright Elizabeth LaCharla Wright (born January 22, 1980) is an American jazz and gospel singer. Life and career Wright was born in the small town of Hahira, Georgia, one of three children and the daughter of a minister and the musical director of th ...
. Vocalist
Karrin Allyson Karrin Allyson (pronounced ''KAR-in''; born Karrin Allyson Schoonover on July 27, 1963) is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including the ' ...
cited Brown as an inspiration and has performed his compositions on several of her albums. Brown was scheduled to contribute lyrics to Allyson's 2006 album ''Footprints'' before his death; instead she recorded his songs "A Tree and Me" and "But I Was Cool" as a tribute. Brown was the subject of a tribute album by cabaret singer Linda Kosut.Jerry D'Souza, "Linda Kosut: Long As You're Living (2007)"
All About Jazz, September 7, 2007.


Published works


Books

* ''What It Is: Poems and Opinions of Oscar Brown Jr.'' This book includes lyrics to some of Brown's better-known songs, as well as lyrics to songs he never got to record.


Discography

* ''Sin & Soul'' (Columbia, 1960) * ''In a New Mood'' (Columbia, 1962) * ''Between Heaven and Hell'' (Columbia, 1962) * ''Tells It Like It Is!'' (Columbia, 1963) * ''
Mr. Oscar Brown Jr. Goes to Washington ''Mr. Oscar Brown Jr. Goes to Washington'' is a 1965 live album by vocalist Oscar Brown Jr., recorded at The Cellar Door in Washington D.C. Track listing All tracks composed by Oscar Brown; except where noted. # "One Life" – 3:14 # "Beautif ...
'' (Fontana, 1965) * ''Finding a New Friend'' with Luiz Henrique (Fontana, 1966) * ''Joy'' with Jean Pace, Sivuca (RCA Victor, 1970) * ''Movin' On'' (Atlantic, 1972) * ''Fresh'' (Atlantic, 1974) * ''Brother Where Are You'' (Atlantic, 1974) * ''Live Every Minute'' (Minor Music, 1998)


Musicals

* ''Kicks & Co.'' * ''Oscar Brown Jr. Entertains'' (one-man show in London) * ''Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow'' * ''Summer in the City'' * ''Opportunity Please Knock'' * ''Joy '66; Joy '69'' * ''Big-Time Buck White'' * ''Slave Song'' * ''Oscar Brown Jr.'s Back in Town'' * bad boys '


Songs

* " The Snake" * "Work Song" (lyrics to
Nat Adderley Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was the younger brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, whom he supported and played with for many years. Adderley's composition " ...
's music) * "
All Blues "All Blues" is a jazz composition by Miles Davis first appearing on the influential 1959 album ''Kind of Blue''. It is a twelve-bar blues in ; the chord sequence is that of a basic blues and made up entirely of seventh chords, with a VI in the t ...
" (lyrics to
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
' music) * "
Dat Dere "Dat Dere" is a jazz song written by Bobby Timmons that was recorded in 1960. Lyrics were written later by Oscar Brown, Jr. Recording and lyrics The song was first recorded by Bobby Timmons in his debut album '' This Here Is Bobby Timmons'' (Ja ...
" (lyrics to
Bobby Timmons Robert Henry Timmons (December 19, 1935 – March 1, 1974) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He was a sideman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers for two periods (July 1958 to September 1959; February 1960 to June 1961), between which he w ...
' music) * "
Afro Blue "Afro Blue" is a jazz standard composed by Mongo Santamaría. Santamaria version Mongo Santamaria recorded his composition "Afro Blue" in 1959 when playing with the Cal Tjader Sextet. The first recorded performance was on April 20, 1959, at th ...
" (lyrics to
Mongo Santamaría Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría Rodríguez (April 7, 1917 – February 1, 2003) was a Cuban percussionist and bandleader who spent most of his career in the United States. Primarily a conga drummer, Santamaría was a leading figure in the pachanga and ...
's music, sometimes recorded by others without crediting the lyricist) * "The Lone Ranger" (''Billboard'', #69 – peaked on June 15, 1974) * "Signifyin’ Monkey" (recorded on ''Sin & Soul'') * "Forty Acres and a Mule" * "Brother Where Are You" * "Brown Baby" * "World Full of Gray" * "But I Was Cool" * "The Tree and Me" * "A Ladiesman" * "A Young Girl" (lyrics to French song "Une Enfant", by Charles Aznavour) * "Long As You're Living" (lyrics to Julian Priester & Tommy Turrentine's music)


Media appearances

* ''Negro Newsfront'' (1940s), radio show * ''
Tonight Starring Steve Allen ''Tonight Starring Steve Allen'' is an American talk show hosted by Steve Allen. It was the first version of what eventually became known as ''The Tonight Show''. ''Tonight'' was the first late-night talk show, as well as the first late night tel ...
'' (c. 1960) * ''
The Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
'' with
Dave Garroway David Cunningham Garroway (July 13, 1913 – July 21, 1982) was an American television personality. He was the founding host and anchor of NBC's ''Today'' from 1952 to 1961. His easygoing and relaxing style belied a lifelong battle with depressi ...
(c. 1960) * ''Jazz Scene USA'' (1962), television show – host * ''The Dick Cavett Show'' (1970), with Jean Pace and Sivuca from the Broadway show Joy * '' Stony Island'' (1978 film) – actor * ''From Jump Street: The Story of Black Music'' (early 1980s) – 13-part public TV series, USA ost* ''Def Poetry'' Season 2 (2002) oetref>


References


External links


Oscar Brown, Jr. web site
produced by his daughters
Donnie L. Betts' documentary on Oscar Brown

Oscar Brown Jr's oral history video excerpts
at The National Visionary Leadership Project
Oscar Brown photographs, essays, poems, curated by his daughters
at The
University of Chicago Press The University of Chicago Press is the largest and one of the oldest university presses in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including ''The Chicago Manual of Style'', ...
Journals {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Oscar Jr. 1926 births 2005 deaths Singers from Chicago African-American dramatists and playwrights African-American television personalities American jazz singers American jazz composers American male jazz composers Philanthropists from Illinois American radio personalities American television personalities Male television personalities Activists for African-American civil rights Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Columbia Records artists Fontana Records artists 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American singers 20th-century African-American male singers American male singer-songwriters Jazz musicians from Illinois 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American philanthropists 20th-century jazz composers African-American songwriters Englewood Technical Prep Academy alumni 21st-century African-American people Singer-songwriters from Illinois