Judge Houston Brown: ‘A Destiny Changer’

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2024 / Regions Bank

As part of Black History Month, Regions Bank honors local attorney, judge and community leader at its annual History in Motion celebration.

Foto: Accesswire

When J. Mason Davis Jr. first met Houston Brown, he noticed there was something special about the young law clerk. In the years since, Davis' gut instinct proved dead on.

"A great judge, solid person, good citizen … and just a solid man," said Davis, shareholder at Dentons Sirote and former History in Motion honoree, describing his former clerk, partner and friend.

And similar words were echoed by everyone who spoke of Judge Houston Brown at the recent Regions Bank History in Motion celebration in Birmingham, Alabama: a man with integrity, a role model and mentor, with an innate ability to work with all kinds of individuals and bring people together.

For the past 15 years, Regions Bank has concluded Black History Month with its History in Motion event, which celebrates past, present and future leaders and the contributions they've made to our communities and our nation.

"Never let anyone else tell your story." Judge Houston Brown

This year's honoree has certainly led a remarkable life of leadership and commitment, which is even more extraordinary considering the challenges he faced early in life.

Brown grew up in Birmingham and remembers his early childhood fondly.

"It was a good time to be a child," he says. "We had lots of love and attention at home, in the community and at church." But he also remembered becoming aware of racial tension when he was around 11 years old. Segregation, enforced by Jim Crow laws, created difficult times in the city.

Brown recalled three events from his youth that changed the trajectory of his life.

The first was attending the 1963 March on Washington, where Brown said he became emotional as Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke. Immediately after witnessing that moving and inspiring speech, he came back to Alabama and the house across the street from where he lived with his parents, the home of civil rights attorney Arthur D. Shores, was bombed. Against the orders of local police on the scene he ran across the street, determined to get inside and check on his neighbors.