Wallace Brown was born on July 14, 1940 to Walter Edward Brown, Sr. and Dora Satterwhite-Brown in Los Angeles County, California.

My father left us when I was five years old. My mother married Sam Edward Barnes, who became my dad, and I was raised in Monrovia, California. I was blessed with four sisters: Kenvelle (deceased), Patricia (deceased), Betty Ann (deceased), and Dolores Eileen; and seven brothers: Walter Edward, Jr., Charles Israel, Curry, Lucian, Arthur, John Curtis, and Harvey Donald, who are deceased.

In addition to my mother and father, my life was positively shaped and influenced by my grandparents: Israel and Dessie Brown (father's parents), and Charles and Dixie Satterwhite (mother's parents) while living in California.

Education

I attended the public schools in Monrovia, including Monrovia-Duarte High School. While there, I was active in the Junior Statesmen Club and the Model United Nations. After graduating from high school in 1958, I enrolled in Citrus Junior College in Azusa, California, and received a Certificate of Graduation in 1960. I later enrolled in San Fernando Valley State College in Northridge, California, where I studied Political Science from 1960 to 1963.

As a part of my professional training, I was selected to participate in the Executive Program in Health Policy, Planning & Regulation at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, where I received the Certificate of Completion in 1976. After relocating to Columbia, South Carolina for a new job assignment, I enrolled at Benedict College, studying Political Science. I graduated with Cum Laude honors in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Community Involvement

My civic involvement began early. I was an active youth member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Household of Ruth (Masonic Lodge). Later, I worked on various Voter Registration and Education programs, focusing on "Get-Out-To Vote" campaigns. Over the years, I have served as the Vice President, President, and Membership Chair of various NAACP chapters, while living in Santa Monica and Venice, California, and later in Beaufort and Columbia, South Carolina. I currently serve with the Political and Social Action Ministry at St. John Baptist Church.

My Christian Walk

Church and school were at the forefront of my childhood. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior in 1947 and was baptized by the Rev. George Godfrey Bailey at Second Baptist Church in Monrovia. I was very active while there, participating in the Cub and Boy Scouts, as well as the Youth Usher Board. I was also a Youth Sunday School teacher.

Additionally, my mother and dad (Sam Edward Barnes) insisted that I stay in school and work. So actively participating in Sunday School, Sunday worship service, and the Baptist Training Union (BTU) were not an option for me. They were mandatory.

I later joined Calvary Baptist Church in Santa Monica, California, where I served as a Sunday School teacher. On November 8, 1968, I was ordained as a Deacon by the Rev. Willie S. Ray while a member of Mt. Herman Baptist Church.

After relocating from California to Beaufort, South Carolina, my family and I joined Tabernacle Baptist Church. While there, I served as a Deacon and taught Sunday School. My family and I moved to Columbia in the early 80s.

We joined St. John Baptist Church in September 1984 where I serve as a Deacon and the Secretary of the Official Board of Deacons. Additionally, I serve as Adult Sunday School teacher, Clerk of the Church, Co-Chair of the Church Budget Committee, and secretary of the St. John Community Development Corporation Board. I am also a member of the Food Pantry Ministry, the Church Policy Committee and the Political and Social Action Ministry.

Professional Career

An accomplished health care executive, Deacon Brown's professional career span more than 50 years in the private and government sectors. My strong work ethic was establish early, as my first job was a shoe shine boy. I even worked as a janitor and a dishwasher. While in California, I worked as the Project Director for Professional Services Corp at the Family Service of Santa Monica, and later as the Assistant to the Executive Director for the Economic & Youth Opportunities Agency of Greater Los Angeles. After relocating to Beaufort, South Carolina in the early 70s, I worked as the Administrator for the Beaufort-Jasper Comprehensive Health Services in Ridgeland. In 1980, I accepted the position of State Project Director for the S.C. Human Services Demonstration Project of the State Reorganization Commission in Columbia. I also served as the Director of the Division of Rural Development for the Office of the Governor in Columbia for six years. From January 1990 to July 1992, I worked as the Executive Assistant to the President at Benedict College, providing overall direction and administration of the college's programs and services.

In 1992, I joined the Richland Community Health Care Association and served 15 years as the Executive Director and CEO, retiring in 2007. For the past 13 years, I have worked as a consultant for Unison Health Plan and for the BlueChoice Health Plan of South Carolina. For his stellar professional and community work, Deacon Brown was bestowed the Order of the Palmetto in 1987, and he received the Distinguish Service Award from the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus in 1987.

Family Life

As the President of the Youth Department of the Western Baptist State Convention, I was invited to serve as the Youth Day Speaker at Calvary Baptist Church in Santa Monica, California on August 27, 1956. That day was a very memorable for me because I met my wife, Selena Marie Brunson, after the worship service. I soon learn that Selena is a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Five years later, we exchanged our wedding vows at 4:00 PM on August 27, 1961.

Four children were born to our union: Wallace James Emanuel Brown, Jr., Alisia Marie Brown (deceased), Selena Maria Brown-Miller II, and Harvey Lucian Christian (Tammie) Brown. We have also been blessed with four beautiful grandchildren: Selena Marie's boys -- John Arthur H. Miller and Elijah Vernon Walree Miller, and Harvey and Tammie's daughters - Yasmeen Alijah and Solei Ameria Brown.

I have several favorite scriptures that I meditate on, and they include Psalms 27 (a song of David) and Psalms 91, as well as Matthews 5:13-16. Finally, my favorite expression is "If you can forget who gets the credit, you can get more done."