Pastor Matthew Southall Brown, Sr. made a historical difference both
locally and internationally. He served in the United States Army during
World War II, and was one of the 2,221 Black soldiers who volunteered
to fight in the Battle of the Bulge. He returned to the U.S. in 1945, and
soon after married Lottie Mariah Williams, with whom he fathered two
daughters and two sons. He was ordained at Historic First African
Baptist Church in Savannah, and in 1969 he was called to serve as
pastor at St. John Baptist Church, where he led the community in
rebuilding the church after a fire destroyed the building in 1993. He
served as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Savannah
Housing Authority, President of the Savannah Model Cities
Neighborhood Council, Inc., and as a life member of the NAACP and
Chairman of their Church Work Committee.

Use this History Snapshot to explore Matthew Southall Brown, Sr.'s life as a war hero and community pillar.

Georgia Standards: SS8H10 Evaluate key post-World War II developments in
Georgia.