Benjamin Brown | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 12, 1945 |
| Died | May 12, 1967 (aged 22) Jackson, Mississippi, US |
| Resting place | Sweet Rest Cemetery, Pearl, Rankin County, Mississippi, US |
| Occupation | Student |
Benjamin Brown (May 12, 1945 – May 12, 1967) was an African-American student at Jackson State University active in the civil rights movement, killed on campus during a standoff between law enforcement and students.[1] Upon encountering the standoff (at the sidelines) after picking up a sandwich from a cafe to bring back to his wife, he was shot by two stray shotgun blasts from law enforcement firing into the crowd.[1][2] No arrests were ever made.[1]
In 2001, a Hinds County grand jury reviewed the case and blamed two deceased officers: Jackson police officer Buddy Kane and Mississippi Highway Patrolman Lloyd Jones. The Brown family filed a lawsuit and settled for $50,000 from the city of Jackson. There has been no marker on the JSU campus recognizing the events that took place.[1]
The Southern Poverty Law Center memorialized Benjamin Brown as a civil rights martyr on a memorial designed by Maya Lin.[1]