Mattie Julian Brown, 1905-1992, DePauw Class of 1926, Undated

File — Box: DC2905, Folder: 2

Staff Only

Collection Statement

From the Collection:

The Percy Lavon Julian family papers are divided into three series: Series I, arranged chronologically, is papers, speeches, photographs, events, publications and awards of Percy L. Julian ‘20. Series II contains papers and photographs of Julian’s family members: James Sumner Julian (Honorary '70), Mattie Julian Brown '26, Elizabeth Julian White '28, Irma Julian Raybon '33, and Emerson R. Julian ‘38. Also included in this series are papers of Percy Julian’s parents and children. Series II is arranged alphabetically by name. The final section, Series III, consists of the annual Julian Memorial Lecture Series records, 1977-1996. These are arranged chronologically. The Julian family papers also includes manuscripts of six siblings: Percy Lavon Julian ’20, eminent scientist; James Sumner Julian, Jr. (Honorary ’70), physician; Mattie Julian Brown ’26, the first black woman to graduate from DePauw University and later a YWCA executive whose husband was in the U.S. diplomatic corps; Elizabeth Julian White ’28, Baltimore High School language teacher; Irma Julian Raybon ’33, Brooklyn social worker; Emerson R. Julian ’38, Baltimore physician and city council member.

Dates

Undated

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Biographical Sketch

Mattie Pearl Julian was born September 16, 1905 to James and Elizabeth Julian in Montgomery, Alabama. Along with her five brothers and sisters, her family moved to Greencastle, Indiana to pursue their dream of a college education at DePauw University. Mattie graduated from Greencastle High School in 1922 with the highest scholastic record in the state of Indiana. She went on to become the first black woman to graduate from DePauw University in 1926, and she did it with honors.

Mattie started her professional career as a high school teacher in Indianapolis. In 1928, while teaching at Paul Quinn College in Waco, Texas, she met and married Warren Henry Brown. She and Warren made their home in New York where Mattie received her MBA in accounting at Columbia University. She worked in New York as Director of Employment of the Harlem branch of the YWCA. Later she was promoted to Director of Education of the YWCA Trade School.

In 1955, Mattie resigned from the YWCA to join her husband in Foreign Service. Until their retirement from the State Department in 1969, Mattie and Warren traveled around the world. They lived in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. In addition to becoming a "world class" hostess, she was a great communicator, even developing some fluency in French, Spanish and Arabic.

Mattie Pearl Julian Brown died at the age of 86 on January 13, 1992 at George Washington University Hospital.