Solomon G. Brown
1829–1906 · First African American employee of the Smithsonian; Hillsdale civic leader
A self-educated naturalist, lecturer and poet, Solomon G. Brown was the first African American employed by the Smithsonian Institution, where he worked for 54 years. An early settler and civic leader of the Barry Farm–Hillsdale community, he was elected to the D.C. House of Delegates (1871–1874) representing Anacostia and sponsored the 1871 legislation that renamed Barry Farm as Hillsdale.
Connection to Anacostia: Early resident and elected civic leader of Barry Farm–Hillsdale; D.C. delegate for Anacostia, 1871–1874.