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October 20
Born in Habersham County, Georgia, he lived there until he was 8 years old. As a slave, he was sold to a Tennessee man. He ran away during the Civil War, becoming a Union officer's servant. Browne joined the Union Army at age 15 and served until 1866. He then attended school in Wisconsin before returning to the South to teach in Georgia and Alabama. It was in Alabama that Browne became active in the self-control movement. He argued that alcohol consumption among black Americans wasted precious money and led to crime and disenfranchisement. In a speech, Brown once said: “Do you not see the yawning gulf standing open, and our young men rushing headlong into it, thereby destroying themselves and us, too? Are we men and women, standing still with our arms folded and mouths shut, to see this demon of intemperance, sloth, and cowardice swallow up our Race?” After becoming a Methodist minister, he urged the formation of "fountains" to pool money and buy land. Soon, the True Reformers of Virginia called Browne to restore its stagnant organization because his vision extended into business activity. Eventually, he established a group whose objective was to stop crime, decadence, poverty, and misery while promoting joy, peace, and abundance. In less than a ten years, he revolutionized black insurance in Richmond and created a financial haven for his vision, The True Reformers Savings Bank, which was opened in 1889, the first black bank in the United States to receive a charter. At its peak in 1907, it took in more than $1 million in deposits. Browne's national stature grew; he was linked with Booker T. Washington and others of the late 19th century who stayed away from politics favoring a non-obtrusive approach to race relations. Yet, his views did not enjoy universal approval. Browne had a falling out with John Mitchell, the anti-lynching crusader, and editor of the Richmond Planet. Browne died of cancer in 1897, and his bank collapsed 11 years later from mismanagement and embezzlement. True Reformers continued as a fraternal order and insurance agency until its demise during the Great Depression. Reference: The Black Lodge in White America: "True Reformer": Browne and His Economic Strategy David M. Fahey, Copyright (1994) Maryland University Press of America
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The African American Registry®, The African American Registry® Copyright 2005, 2006
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