Roscoe Brown is nominated for 'Post's' Liberty Medal
By Jason Eisenberg
Dr. Roscoe Brown may get yet another award to place in his already crowded display case.
The former Tuskegee Airman, a Riverdale resident since 1989, has been nominated for a New York Post Liberty Medal in the Lifetime Achievement category. Dr. Matthew Goldstein, chancellor of the City University of New York, nominated Dr. Brown for the award, based on his years of service to the country and to the New York community.
The winner, who will receive a silver medal, will be announced at a ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 17. The contest, which includes a number of categories to honor New Yorkers, is judged by a panel of "prominent" city residents.
This most recent tribute comes just six months after Dr. Brown received one of the greatest honors that can be bestowed upon a civilian in the United States - the Congressional Gold Medal. On March 29, more than 60 years after serving the country in World War II, Dr. Brown joined hundreds of his fellow Tuskegee pilots at the Capital Rotunda in Washington, D.C. to accept the medal.
"I think I can speak for all of us in saying this was a very special moment, and for me personally, this year has certainly been a highpoint in my life," said Dr. Brown. "It was an honor to fight for my country and I also take pride in the fact that the achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen helped break down the barriers of segregation in the military."
New York Congressman Charles Rangel originally brought the proposal to honor the Tuskegee Airmen before Congress and it did not take long for both the House of Representatives and the Senate to pass the bill unanimously. It is the first time that a collective group has been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
Dr. Brown maintains frequent contact with the other Tuskegee pilots by attending the group's annual meetings every year. Just last week he went to Columbus, Ohio for the Gathering of the Mustangs event, where he and many other Tuskegee Airmen were honored at Rickenbacker International Airport.
Even though his three years of military service mean a lot to him, Dr. Brown says that his time spent working with young adults over the last 30 years is in many ways even more important.
Dr. Brown served as president of Bronx Community College from 1977 to 1993, he founded the Institute of African-American Affairs at New York University and now, at the age of 85, he is still going strong as the director of the Center for Urban Education Policy within the CUNY school system.
"I know how critical it is for young people to have role models, so I have tried to be a leader in the local education system," said Dr. Brown. "I do whatever I can to teach and help all young people, not just African-Americans, and this is certainly as gratifying as anything else I have ever accomplished."
As a longtime Riverdalian, Dr. Brown has also taken an active role in the local community as chairman of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park. "I really love the Bronx and especially the Riverdale area because it is such a diverse and beautiful place," he said. "Everyone needs to do something to contribute so I am just doing my part in giving back to the community."
