Harriet Elizabeth Brown (sometimes called "Libby") (February 10, 1907[1] — January 1, 2009[2]) was aCalvert County school teacher who pushed for equal pay, regardless of race, inMaryland education. With the help ofNAACP attorneyThurgood Marshall, Brown sued the Calvert County Board of Education in 1937. At the time, African-American teachers were paid significantly less than their Euro-American colleagues. Brown was paid almost 50% less than her Euro-American counterparts with similar credentials. Calvert County settled on December 27, 1937, and agreed to equalize pay.[3]
Brown's suit followed a 1936 lawsuit brought by Marshall and the NAACP on behalf ofMontgomery County Public Schools principalWilliam B. Gibbs Jr. Montgomery County's school board settled that case as well, and agreed to equalize teacher pay regardless of race.[4] In 1939, the Maryland Teachers Pay Equalization Law was passed, the first Maryland state equalization law.[3] Brown was inducted into theMaryland Women's Hall of Fame in 1994.[5]
Brown began working inCalvert County Public Schools in 1931. She worked there for more than 30 years.[6]
Harriet Elizabeth Brown died on January 1, 2009, at the age of 101.[2] She is buried at Southern Memorial Gardens inDunkirk, Maryland.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)