Ronald Harmon Brown (1941–1996) was a prominent American politician, attorney, and civil rights advocate who broke racial barriers in U.S. politics. Born on August 1, 1941, in Washington, D.C., to parents who were graduates of Howard University and owned the historic Theresa Hotel in Harlem, New York, Brown grew up in an affluent African American professional environment. He attended elite preparatory schools and graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1962. After serving in the U.S. Army Reserve, Brown earned a law degree from St. John's University in 1970. His early career focused on civil rights and urban advocacy; he joined the National Urban League in 1969, rising to deputy executive director by 1979, where he worked on economic development for minority communities. Brown transitioned into politics and lobbying in Washington, D.C., representing major corporations as a lawyer-lobbyist. He gained national prominence as deputy campaign manager for Senator Ted Kennedy's 1980 presidential bid. In 1989, Brown became the first African American chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), serving until 1993. Appointed by President Bill Clinton as the 30th U.S. Secretary of Commerce in 1993, Brown served until his death in 1996, advocating for trade expansion, minority business development, and global economic opportunities, leading numerous trade missions to emerging markets. His tenure was marked by energetic promotion of U.S. exports and support for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He was a key figure in Clinton's economic team, focusing on job creation and international competitiveness. Tragically, on April 3, 1996, Brown died at age 54 in a plane crash near Dubrovnik, Croatia, during a trade mission to Bosnia. The accident, which killed 35 people including other U.S. officials, prompted investigations into weather conditions and aircraft maintenance, but no foul play was found. Brown's legacy endures through the Ron Brown Award for corporate leadership in diversity and his influence on Democratic Party inclusivity.