BROTHER RAYMOND R. BROWN was a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha. He was initiated May 12, 1926 at Alpha Tau Chapter, University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. Brother Brown received his bachelor's degree from Akron University and was one of two African-Americans to graduate in 1929- He earned a Master's degree from New York University and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Rio Grande College in 1969Brother Brown was a noted educator, community leader and civil rights pioneer. He spent 23 years with the Urban League serving as Director of the Akron Community Service Center. Brother Brown served as Mid-Eastern Regional Director of the Urban League until his retirement. He served as a lecturer at the University of Akron in the Department of Social Work for 34 years. Brother Brown was a lifetime member of the NAACP, United Methodist Church, National Library Board, State of Ohio, National Social Work Association, West Akron Neighborhood Development, Frontiers International and National Urban League. He served as a trustee of the Akron-Summit County Public Library for 24 years. Brother Brown served as President of the Board of Trustees and on the Board of Directors of the State Library of Ohio. He was the first African-American to serve on the State of Ohio Library Board. Brother Brown served on the Board of Alpha Phi Alpha. He was selected Social Worker of the Year in 1968. Brother Brown was presented with the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Medallion by the National Urban League in 1991- Summit County declared October 26, 1993, Raymond R. Brown Day to recognize his contributions to the community. He was honored by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. by having a public housing project named after him, Raymond Brown Hallow, in Wooster, Ohio. Brother Brown was an active member of Eta Tau Lambda Chapter in Akron, Ohio. BROTHER HARRY LAWRENCE BURNEY, JR was a life mem ber of Alpha Phi Alpha. He was initiated November 1,1956 at Beta Delta Lambda Chapter in Daytona Beach, Florida. Brother Burney was born in Lakeland, Florida. He attended Bethune-Cookman College as a high-schooler graduating in 1946 with a Bachelor's degree. Brother Burney received his Master of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in 1954. He served as a teacher and principal for the Middleton Grammar School in Crescent City and as principal of Tivoli High School in Defuniak Springs. Brother Burney was employed as Vice President for Development at Bethune-Cookman College in 1966 and became Florida area development director for the United Negro College Fund. He served as lay leader for the United Methodist Church. Brother Burney was a member of the Rotary Club, the Executive Board for the Florida Education Association, an executive for the Florida Professional Practice Committee, President of the National Alumni Association of Bethune-Cookman College. He was vice-chairman of the board of trustees for the Sarah Hunt Children's Home, charter member of the Richard V. Moore Community Center, served on the Board of Trustees for Bethune-Cookman College and Citizens First National AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY EDITION
Bank. The Putnam City School Board voted unanimously to rename the Crescent City Elementary School Middleton-Burney Elementary School in memory of Robert C. Middleton and in honor of Harry L. Burney, Jr. BROTHER JIMMUIR COTTON was initiated November 20, 1948 at Beta Omicron Chapter, Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. He was bora in Bardstown, Kentucky. Brother Cotton was a retired professor of history and geography at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. He served in the Army in World War II and was a mapmaker, a referee of football and basketball games at Tennessee High Schools. Brother Cotton was a charter member of Beta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Gamma Theta Epsilon Alpha Kappa Mu Honorary Scholastic Society. He was a Connecting Link of the Las Vegas Chapter Links. Brother Cotton was a member of St. John's A.M.E. Zion Church in and later joined The Church of the Holy Trinity, Episcopal in Nashville. BROTHER ROBERT TODD DUNCAN was born in Danville, Kentucky. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Butler University, a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University and numerous honorary Doctorates of Music. Brother Duncan taught at Howard University in 1931 in the School of Music and in 1935 received a call from George Gershwin, which led to his starring role in Porgy & Bess. He performed the role of Porgy over 1,800 times in the 1935 and 1944 productions of the opera. Brother Duncan was a renowned concert artist and gave over 2,000 recitals over a span of 25 years. He sang in Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand and performed in 850 cities in the United States. Brother Duncan was a soloist with leading symphony orchestras of the world's capitals. He sang at the White House for Presidents Roosevelt and Eisenhower and he performed at the Inaugural Concert at Constitution Hall for President Johnson. Brother Duncan also appeared with the New York City Opera and other companies in Pagiacci (Tonio), Aida (Amonasro), Carmen (Escamillo) and Rigoletto (Rigoletto). He also starred in Edgar Wallace's The Sun Never Sets (1938) at the Drury Lane Theater in London, Cabin in the Sky (1944) and Lost in the Stars (1950), for which he received the Donaldson and Critics' Awards. Brother Duncan's movie credits include Syncopation (RKO, 1942) and Unchained (Warner Brothers, 1955). He taught voice privately from 1934 until the time of his death. Brother Duncan devoted full time to teaching in 1964 and he taught at the Curtis Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for several years commencing in 1977. He taught Master Classes at numerous colleges and universities. Brother Duncan was a member of the Academy of Teaching, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the first President of the Washington Performing Arts Society and devoted member of Plymouth Congregational Church and Director of its Choir.