July 6, 2016

We are saddened by the passing of Dr. Roscoe Brown, Jr., who served on the board of New Yorkers for Parks for many years. A tireless advocate for social justice, he was deeply committed to improving and protecting parks and open space in New York City. Dr. Brown’s work for racial equality most notably began with his time in the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II, where he flew 68 combat missions. He went on to direct the Institute of Afro-American Affairs at New York University, was the president of Bronx Community College from 1977 to 1993, and then directed the Center for Education Policy at CUNY. In 2007, he and other surviving Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. In addition to sitting on the board of NY4P, he was also on the boards of City Parks Foundation, New York Botanical Garden, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and others. Dr. Brown is survived by his four children.