Biography

Dr. Milbert O. Brown, Jr. seemed destined for a career in journalism. As a 7-year-old shy kid, Brown rushed home to tell his parents he aspired to become a reporter after his 2nd-grade teacher selected him as the classroom reporter. The Gary, Indiana native later purchased his first camera by selling Grit newspapers to his neighbors. By age 12, he was photographing and writing about his family—later, the world.

During his stellar career, Brown shared the 2001 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Explanatory Reporting as a contributing member of the Chicago Tribune team. The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) inducted him into the media organization's Journalism Hall of Fame (2024) class. The honor reflects Dr. Brown's lifelong exemplary reporting and commitment to journalistic excellence.

Previously, Brown's alma mater inducted him into Ball State University's School of Journalism and Strategic Communication's 2023 Hall of Fame class. He was also honored as one of the top 90 Black photojournalists in the United States when he was selected as a member of the "Gordon Parks Ninety" project.

Some of Brown's most prolific work was produced when he served as a visual editor and photojournalist at the Boston Globe and the Chicago Tribune. He was also a public affairs writer for informational agencies. While completing his graduate studies at Ohio University, famed Watergate editor Ben Bradlee hired Brown to intern at the Washington Post.

One of his most notable assignments was reporting on South Africa's first all-race election and the subsequent inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President in 1994. He joined the Foreign Correspondents Association during his month-long reporting in South Africa. Later, Brown covered Liberia's presidential race after being selected as a 2005 United Nations Overseas Reporting Fellow. His other career highlights included covering then-presidential candidate Senator (D-Ill) Barack Obama, the NBA Finals, and the Olympic Games in (Atlanta, London, and Paris).

Brown's approach to reporting has always been multi-dimensional. He has combined writing and photography to best present stories to the public. In an August 2024 New York Amsterdam News piece titled "Black History Comes Alive in Paris during the Olympic Games," Brown's multimedia skills were highlighted.

Dr. Brown's influence on storytelling is immeasurable. He has been a guiding light for over four decades, skillfully weaving the vibrant tapestry of African American life and history. His roles as an editor, educator, photojournalist, and writer have not only chronicled history but also shaped it, establishing him as one of the most gifted storytellers in America.

Brown graduated from Morgan State University with a Doctorate in higher education leadership. He also earned a Master of Arts degree from Ohio University's School of Visual Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Ball State University.

OTHER MEDIA AND ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
After he retired from the newspaper industry, it was not the end of Brown's journey but a new beginning. His influence extended beyond traditional media, with his role as the International Editor of The Oracle Magazine, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's official membership publication. Presently, he works on design, photography, and writing projects as the Principal Consultant of Brown Images. These diverse roles further solidified his standing as a respected figure in journalism, a testament to his unwavering commitment to the craft.

Also, during Brown's second career as a college professor, he taught multimedia reporting and visual journalism at two of America's most prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): Howard and Wilberforce Universities. He also taught photojournalism courses as an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
In 2024, Brown University's Born-Digital Scholarly Publishing program selected Dr. Brown as a cohort scholar in their National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) Institute. The NEH provided grant support resources in producing Brown's upcoming digital monograph book project titled "Breaking Barriers: A Digital Exploration of the Negro Leagues and Their Impact on Baseball History." The research will chronicle the history and enduring influence of the Negro Leagues in America's Jim Crow era.

Dr. Brown was appointed to the Society of American Baseball Research's Special Negro League Task Force. The committee's ongoing study has contributed literature, history, and statistical records to Major League Baseball. (MLB). He also is the public relations chairman of the Simmons Museum of Negro Leagues Baseball.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Brown's consistent effort to increase positive storytelling images in underserved communities includes founding a ground-breaking photography organization, the Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers. In 1999, Brown conceptualized that the group would launch a project entitled "The Journey: The Next 100 Years." The sole mission of the project would be to photographically document the Greater Chicago area's Black community at the beginning of the 21st century.

In Vibe Magazine's March 2001 issue, the editors said: "Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks … provided a considerable amount of her poetry depicting the life and times of Black people in Chicago. Milbert O. Brown, Jr., a staff photojournalist at the Chicago Tribune, spearheaded the formation of the Chicago Alliance of African-American Photographers, and he did for the Windy City with cameras what Brooks had done with poetry."