Mary Carney Brown (August 18, 1935 – November 21, 2021) was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the

Michigan House of Representatives The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 201 ...

from 1977 through 1994. Born in 1935 in Midland,

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

, Brown earned degrees from

Albion College Albion College is a private liberal arts college in Albion, Michigan. The college was founded in 1835 and its undergraduate population was approximately 1,500 students in 2014. They participate in NCAA Division III and the Michigan Interco ...

and

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

. She was an assistant professor at

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...

from 1965 until her election. Elected to the House in 1976, Brown chaired several committees and the Democratic Caucus. She held hearings on issues including pay equity and domestic violence. Governor

James Blanchard James Johnston Blanchard (born August 8, 1942) is an American retired attorney, diplomat, and politician who served as the 45th governor of Michigan from 1983 to 1991. A member of the Democratic Party, Blanchard previously served in the Unite ...

appointed her to a task force set up to eliminate wage disparities between men and women in the state civil service. Ten years after leaving the House, Brown was twice appointed to the Natural Resources Commission by Governor

Jennifer Granholm Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959) is a Canadian-American lawyer, educator, author, political commentator, and politician serving as the 16th United States secretary of energy since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she pre ...

and served through 2011. In 2007, Brown was inducted into the

Michigan Women's Hall of Fame The Michigan Women's Hall of Fame (MWHOF) honors distinguished women, both historical and contemporary, who have been associated with the U.S. state of Michigan. The hall of fame was founded in 1983 by Gladys Beckwith and is sponsored by the Mic ...

. She died on November 21, 2021, at the age of 86.Former Michigan Rep. Mary Brown dies at 86
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References

1935 births 2021 deaths People from Midland, Michigan Albion College alumni Syracuse University alumni Western Michigan University faculty Women state legislators in Michigan Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians American women academics 21st-century American women {{Michigan-politician-stub