Unity Group of Chattanooga Remembers Representative Dr. Tommie F. Brown

CHATTANOOGA (UNITY GROUP) – The Unity Group of Chattanooga was greatly saddened to hear of the recent transition of one of our foremost heroines who stood for truth, justice and universal fairness, Chattanooga former Representative Dr. Tommie F. Brown. It is not mere coincidence that just hours after we finished the 56th Annual MLK Week, we are reminded that for most of those years Rep. Dr. Brown was a key sponsor and financial contributor for the celebration, and was the keynote speaker at the 2014  Main Program.

Rep. Brown’s mark on Chattanooga’s political landscape is permanently affixed. As the lead plaintiff in Brown v. City of Chattanooga, she stood unwavering in the fight against an at-large election system that had long diluted Black voting power. Yet,she always reminded everyone that while her name led the list, there were other courageous residents and community leaders whose efforts were equally, if not more vital. Together, they transformed Chattanooga’s government into a mayor–council system with district-based elections, finally ensuring that communities of color had the representation they had long been denied.

Dr. Brown always had compassion for our youngest and most vulnerable. Three decades ago, she was among the individuals who called for a complete overhaul of Tennessee’s foster care system, demanding better health care and services for children in state custody. One significant outcome of that advocacy was the Bryan A.Case, which highlighted systemic failures within the system  and set important legal and policy precedents. And as recent reports make clear, the concerns Rep. Brown and like-minded advocates raised so many decades ago still resonate today, showing that the fight for the well-being of foster children in Tennessee remains as urgent now as it was then.

Likewise, through her tireless efforts, she ensured that the contributions of Tennessee’s African American legislators were preserved in the state library, archives, and online, work that was especially vital because their achievements had too often been downplayed or outright omitted.

Her commitment to education was also one of her hallmarks. In 1971, Dr. Brown joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she founded the Social Work program and later became the first African American woman to serve as a department head. For decades she shaped minds and hearts, training generations of social workers, mentors, and leaders who would carry forward her belief that knowledge is power and service is duty.

At age 78, she reflected on her life and her work with that same spark that carried her through decades of activism, education, and public service. As reported in the Times Free Press, she said, “the best is yet to come”, a line that embodies the optimism, the resilience, and the faith she carried for herself and her city.

Rep. Brown could have retreated into a quaint and blissful retirement, but instead she remained tireless in advocating for issues that uplifted the community, helped build coalitions to address pressing issues, and continued to mentor the leaders of tomorrow.

She stood with the people when many went to City Hall, calling for community benefits agreements, voting rights, and an end to police brutality. You would see her at City Council and County Commission meetings because she wanted everyone to know she stood firmly with the interest of the community. You would find her at neighborhood and organizational meetings because she understood that information sharing, organizing, and consensus-building were essential to addressing problems that were often institutionalized and systemic.

Dr. Tommie Brown’s legacy is living proof that courage and dedication can reshape institutions, lift communities, and leave the world better than we found it. She leaves a city that is more just, a state that is more accountable, and a history that will never forget the work of a woman who devoted her life to service. Chattanooga will carry her memory onwards in its government, in its schools, and in its hearts, and as a reminder that real change comes when we fight for it with vision, integrity, and unshakable love for our people.

In reference to Rep. Dr. Tommie F. Brown, we think of the words penned by Lucie E. Campbell:

‘Oh, when I come to the end of my journey,
Weary of life and the battle is won;
Carrying the staff and the cross of redemption,
He’ll understand and say,’ “Well done.”

Yours In Abundance,

Unity Group of Chattanooga

Eric A. Atkins,

Co-Chair

Rev. Dr. Charlotte S.N.N Williams