{{Short description|American politician (1940–2022)}} {{about|an Ohio politician|singer and actress Elsie Baker who used the pseudonym Edna Brown|Elsie Baker| the Aboriginal Australian elder|Alma Thorpe}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Edna Brown | image = Edna Brown - District 11 - Ohio Senate 130th General Assemby 2013-2014 - DPLA - 4dd33bcc8c6b71853ab731d33616f568 (page 20) (cropped).jpg | state_senate = Ohio | state = Ohio | district = 11th | term_start = January 3, 2011 | term_end = December 31, 2018 | predecessor = Teresa Fedor | successor = Teresa Fedor | state_house2 = Ohio | state2 = Ohio | district2 = 48th | term_start2 = January 8, 2002 | term_end2 = December 31, 2010 | preceded2 = Jack Ford | succeeded2 = Michael Ashford | birth_date = {{Birth date|1940|04|07}} | birth_place = Toledo, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|01|01|1940|04|07}} | death_place = Ohio, U.S. | party = Democrat | alma_mater = Mary Manse College }}
'''Edna Brown''' (April 7, 1940 – January 1, 2022) was an American politician, member of the Democratic Party and Minority Whip of the Ohio Senate, serving the 11th District from 2011 to 2018. She also served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Edna Brown {{!}} Ohio Statehouse|url=http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/museum/ladies-gallery/edna-brown|access-date=2022-01-02|website=www.ohiostatehouse.org|archive-date=2020-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029163131/http://ohiostatehouse.org/museum/ladies-gallery/edna-brown|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Career== {{more citations needed section|date=January 2022}} Edna R. Brown had a 32-year career as an employee with the city of Toledo, followed by a six-year tenure on Toledo City Council.
When incumbent Jack Ford resigned from the House to become Mayor of Toledo, Ohio, Brown was appointed to serve the remainder of his term. She was elected to a full term in 2002, defeating Republican Cathleen Voyles-Baden by 13,000 votes.<ref>Blackwell, Kenneth [http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2002Results/ohrep.aspx 2002 general election results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627172828/http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2002Results/ohrep.aspx |date=2011-06-27 }} (2002-11-07)</ref> Brown went on to win reelection in 2004, 2006, and 2008.
In 2004, Brown, C.J. Prentiss and Shirley Smith were chosen to serve on the executive committee of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators during the organization's conference in Philadelphia. For the 127th General Assembly Brown served as second vice president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, and first vice president for the 128th General Assembly.
In 2009, Speaker of the House Armond Budish named Brown as Chairman of the Human Services Subcommittee of the House Finance Committee.
==Ohio Senate== In 2009, Brown stated that she would be a candidate for the Ohio Senate in 2010, to replace the term limited Teresa Fedor. She was expected to face Peter Ujvagi in the primary election, but he was hired as Lucas County Administrator.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/02/02/ujvagi-appointed-to-lucas-county-administrator/Lucas |title=County Ujvagi appointed to Lucas County Administrator |access-date=2010-12-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109144510/http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/02/02/ujvagi-appointed-to-lucas-county-administrator/Lucas |archive-date=2016-01-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The appointment of Ujvagi set up what many thought was going to be a legislative shuffle, where Fedor was appointed to Ujvagi's seat, and Brown then appointed to Fedor's seat.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100318/NEWS09/3180378/0/news13 |title=Dems seek applicants to hold Ujvagi House seat for 9 months |access-date=2010-12-22 |archive-date=2019-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216034600/https://www.toledoblade.com/oldsaxolinks?query=extrefid:3180378 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, Toledo City Councilman Joe McNamara also sought the appointment to the Senate. As a result, Fedor kept her seat, Brown hers, and Joe Walter was appointed to a nine-month term in Ujvagi's seat.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
McNamara's entrance into the campaign reinvigorated a primary battle.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20100208%2FNEWS16%2F100209695 |title=McNamara to run for state Senate seat |access-date=2022-01-02 |archive-date=2022-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102081838/https://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20100208%2FNEWS16%2F100209695 |url-status=live }}</ref> Brown defeated McNamara by about 2,300 votes.<ref>Brunner, Jennifer [http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2010results/20100504OHsenate-D.aspx 2010 primary election results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227142017/http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2010results/20100504OHsenate-D.aspx |date=2010-12-27 }} (2010-05-04)</ref> She defeated Republican Tom Waniewski by 18,000 votes in the general election.<ref>Brunner, Jennifer [https://web.archive.org/web/20081108051603/http://vote.sos.state.oh.us/pls/enrpublic/f?p=130%3A6%3A0 2010 general election results] (2010-11-02)</ref>
Brown was sworn into office on January 3, 2011, and was the first African-American to represent the city of Toledo in the state Senate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20110104/NEWS16/110109878 |title=Brown, Ashford join Ohio legislature |access-date=2011-01-04 |archive-date=2022-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102081822/https://www.toledoblade.com/oldsaxolinks?query=extrefid:110109878 |url-status=live }}</ref> For the 129th General Assembly, Senate colleagues elected Brown as Senate minority whip.<ref>[http://business-journal.com/cafaro-reelected-senate-democratic-leader-p17910-1.htm Brown elected minority whip] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727124245/http://business-journal.com/cafaro-reelected-senate-democratic-leader-p17910-1.htm |date=2011-07-27 }}</ref> She was a member of the Senate Rules Committee; Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Committee; Financial Institutions Committee; Health, Human Services and Aging Committee (as ranking member); Insurance, Commerce and Labor; and State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs. She also served on the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund Board, the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee and the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}{{Relevance inline|date=January 2022}}
==Death== Brown died in Ohio on January 1, 2022, at the age of 81.<ref>{{cite web|title=Long-time Toledo figure Edna Brown passed away at 81-years-old|url=https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/toledo-figure-edna-brown-passed-away-at-81-years-old/512-f4f075f5-4619-47b1-9353-8bcc8ca9a238|publisher=WTOL|date=January 1, 2021|accessdate=January 1, 2021|archive-date=January 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101195032/https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/toledo-figure-edna-brown-passed-away-at-81-years-old/512-f4f075f5-4619-47b1-9353-8bcc8ca9a238|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://ohioladiesgallery.org/PublicOfficial.aspx?personId=83587 The Ohio Ladies' Gallery: Edna Brown] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808223109/http://www.ohioladiesgallery.org/PublicOfficial.aspx?personId=83587 |date=2012-08-08 }} {{OhioSen11thDst}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Edna}} Category:1940 births Category:2022 deaths Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American women politicians Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:African-American state legislators in Ohio Category:21st-century African-American women politicians Category:Politicians from Toledo, Ohio Category:Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Ohio General Assembly Category:Democratic Party Ohio state senators Category:Women state legislators in Ohio Category:Ohio city council members Category:Women city councillors in Ohio