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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of radio and TV personality Floyd A.
4Brown of Elgin, who passed away on December 9, 2022; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Floyd Brown was born to Faye Lee
6McFarland-Grayson and Lewis O. Woods in Dallas, Texas on
7November 5, 1930; he left Texas at an early age, moving to
8Washington, D.C., where he graduated from high school at the
9age of 16; he served in the U.S. Army; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Floyd Brown's military service led him to become
11an engineer at radio station WRMN in Elgin in 1951, and his
12career included working as program manager and personality for
13WYNR; he was the first African American to sign with NBC and
14WMAQ, where he was an announcer and on-air personality; he
15worked at WGN from 1971 to 1999, during which he worked as a
16sportscaster and sports anchor on the evening news; with his
17iconic voice, he hosted The Floyd Brown Show on WGN for more
18than 29 years, where he featured entertainment, music,
19interviews, and news/business topics, and his guests included
20such legendary jazz artists as Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton,
21and Ella Fitzgerald; in addition to his time at WGN, he joined
22the Chicago Sunday Evening Club in 1985 and hosted WTTW's 30
23Good Minutes until he retired in 1996; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Floyd Brown contributed his time and talents to
2the arts and civic life in his local community of Elgin; he was
3a founding member of the Elgin Human Relations Commission and
4served as president of the Elgin Housing Commission and
5marketing director for the Kane County Fair; he was master of
6ceremonies for WGN's Know Your Heritage, the Bud Billiken
7Parade, the Gospel Stellar Awards, and Central City
8Productions; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Floyd Brown received many awards, including the
10D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award from Judson University,
11the Friend of Education Award from Elgin Community College,
12and the Trailblazer Award from the Quad City Urban League; he
13was inducted into WGN Radio's Walk of Fame on March 22, 2016;
14he was also recognized for his achievements as a civil rights
15activist and his commitment to supporting the arts; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Floyd Brown, an avid golfer and sports
17enthusiast, was the first African American to become a member
18of a private country club in the State of Illinois; he served
19on the board of the United States Golf Association and the
20Chicago District Golf Association; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Floyd Brown will be remembered as a legendary
22trailblazer whose major role and notoriety as a Black man in

 

 

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1media paved the way for other people of color to achieve
2success in broadcasting, while simultaneously bringing joy and
3entertainment to homes across the country; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Floyd Brown was preceded in death by his parents;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Floyd Brown is survived by his wife of 67 years,
7Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Brown; his son, Judge Floyd Keith
8Brown; his daughter, Diane Brown; his grandchildren, Marcus
9(Amanda) Brown, Nicole Brown, Jordan Douglas, and Taylor
10Douglas; and his great-grandchildren, Mikayla, Caleb, and
11Cassidy Brown; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
14Floyd A. Brown and extend our sincere condolences to his
15family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
16further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Floyd Brown as an expression of our
19deepest sympathy.