Biography
Edna Hall Brown was born in 1909 in Baltimore, Maryland, to her father, Daniel Brown, who was a widely known and respected dentist, and her mother, Kate Hall. She attended Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, which is the second oldest high school created for African Americans. Edna then spent a year at Saint Johnsbury Academy in Vermont, graduating in 1926.
After attending high school, Edna went on to attend college at UVM, becoming the first known African-American woman to do so. While in college, Edna excelled in the subjects of math and science, as noted in the UVM publication “The Ariel.” She graduated in 1931, earning her Bachelor’s of Science in Education. After graduating from UVM, she went on to attend a masters program in teaching at Columbia University.
After graduating from Columbia, Edna returned to Baltimore and taught math and science in the local public schools. Edna also became involved in many local organizations, serving as president of the DuBois circle, an African-American women’s club, and as the treasurer of the Cooperative Women’s Civic League. She was also involved in the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, the first church to be organized for slaves in the United States. She died in 2000, leaving behind a large portion of her estate to help fund minority students’ education. Half of this money was given to the United Negro College Fund, and half to the University of Vermont.Education
Bachelor of the Arts, University of Vermont (1931)
Master's in Education, Columbia UniversityOccupation
Educator
Community Leader