Indianapolis Mourns The Sudden Accidental Passing Of HIV/AIDS Advocate & Survivor, International HIV/AIDS Delegate Professor Harold S. Brown

INDIANAPOLIS - April 19, 2024 - PRLog -- The family, friends, and colleagues of 77 -year-old Harold S. Brown are grieving the tragic and unexpected death of their internationally esteemed loved one due to a traffic accident on April 4, 2024.

A leader and a mentor of clergyman and community leaders beginning with his own family of seven brothers and one sister born to the late Harold Brown Sr. and Bettie Brown, Harold Brown's achievements spanned the state of Indiana, Washington, D.C., and Europe. He was the second born of a family of nine children.

The first in his family to graduate from college, attaining a Bachelor's Degree from Indiana Central College, a Master of Arts and having pursued the Doctor of Philosophy at New York University in NYC., Professor Brown's faith in God and hope in Jesus Christ gave him the courage to become a civil rights activist as early as the 1960's.  Due to his leadership, his siblings are now ordained ministers, college graduates, including a Ph.D. and a D.D.

With the value of "charity begins at home and spreads abroad" taught by his parents, not only did his siblings gain better lives and higher education because of Professor Brown's vocation and love of helping others, but thousands of people also learned and evolved because of his spirit of excellence.

Professor Brown served as an academic counselor at Indiana University in Indianapolis, and later an Indiana State Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC), successfully helping people through rehabilitation and back to employment. He eventually became the ad hoc children's ambassador for the International Year of the Child in 1979.

Among his varied roles, Professor Brown served as Assistant Dean of the New York Institute of Technology at the Manhattan Campus, and later Dean of Student Affairs at New York City Community College of City University of

New York. Other achievements in his life journey include volunteering at the Indianapolis Urban League and becoming a founding member of its guild; serving as a 35-year volunteer and board member of Spirit Builders Cerebral Palsy Foundation; life member of both Alpha Phi Omega National Boy Scout Fraternity and Alpha Pi Omega National Drama Fraternity; Project Director and Primary Research Investigator for the National Institute of Mental Health for the study and treatment of emotionally disturbed children and their families at the Wiltwyck School with staff and offices in the 5 New York City Burroughs. The headquarters was located in Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn, New York.

Recently, Professor Brown was named the first Indiana state-approved Director of Education for the Department of Corrections at the Marion County Jail where he graduated 79 inmates inside the jail in a two-year period. Also most recently, Professor Brown was the Founder and President of the Hoosier IAC International AIDS Conference Scholarship Fund which is focused on raising up a new cadre of HIV leaders in Indiana.  Since its inception in 2019, 34 people have received scholarships to attend the bi-annual International AIDS Conference.

After leaving New York, Professor Brown spent the remaining 40 years of his life battling the debilitating effects of HIV/AIDS in society, and personally resisting the disease and illnesses that accompany it. During this time in Indiana, he continued to fight for social justice combating the stigma and prejudice both disease and his color as a Black man, holding many professional positions. He was recently named Community Scholar at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in 2017 and in 2018 received the appointment of Associate Faculty in Sociology at IUPUI.

Professor Brown was also a tireless HIV advocate and long-term member of the International AIDS Society (Geneva, Switzerland), the Ryan White HIV Planning Council, and Region 7 ZIP Coalition in Indiana.

The work of Professor Brown will be remembered as evident in an upcoming AIDS conference. "I am pleased to announce that the United Methodist Global AIDS Committee's chairperson, Bishop Julius C. Trimble, Resident Bishop for the Indiana Episcopal Area and Indiana Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church will offer his address in honor of Professor Harold S. Brown, Jr., at the upcoming 'Breaking Barriers AIDS Conference' on April 22^nd in Charlotte, N.C.," said Aaron Hobbs, Sr. Pastor, Broadway United Methodist Church.

As Professor Brown fought many battles for social justice in life, he also contended with personal struggles as he achieved victories for the public.

Professor Brown made an indelible mark on improving the lives of people by overcoming HIV/AIDS socially and physically.  His death via a traffic accident as a passenger in a medical transport vehicle is being investigated by authorities.  An article about Professor Harold Brown death confirmed by The Marion County Coroner's Office as having died in the 2000 Block of North College Avenue in Indianapolis was posted on the Channel 13 NBC Affiliate WTHR website www.wthr.com.

Video tribute: https://youtu.be/dNZT6aN15_k?si=IpV9YkeDejavLenh



Funeral arrangements by Lauck & Veldhoff with the Celebration of Life Service to be officiated by Reverend Aaron Hobbs,  Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. at Broadway United Methodist Church, 609 E. 29^th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46205.