H. Rap Brown, born Hubert Gerold Brown, was an American civil rights activist and leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Born on October 4, 1943 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Brown was a key figure in the fight for racial equality and justice in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s.
Brown was active in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and served as its chairman from 1967 to 1968. He was credited with helping to create the Black power movement and was later appointed as the National NAACP Youth Council Director. Brown's most famous quote is "Violence is as American as cherry pie."
In 1967, Brown was arrested in Cambridge, Maryland for inciting a riot. He was convicted and served five years in prison. After his release, Brown changed his name to Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin and converted to Islam. He opened a store in Atlanta, selling Islamic clothing and books, and became a respected imam in the Atlanta Muslim community.
Brown ran for Congress in 2000 and 2002, but lost both times. In 2002, he was arrested for the murder of a sheriff's deputy in Atlanta; he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Despite his controversial past, Brown was remembered for his actions in the Civil Rights Movement and his commitment to racial justice. He was also remembered for his bravery in the face of adversity and his courage and dedication to the cause of civil rights. Brown will always be remembered as one of the most important figures in the struggle for equality in the United States.
