Raised by a single mother in a racist Chicago suburb, Les Brownlee overcame hardships to become a journalism pioneer and educator. Though he lived in an era when most people of color were held back in both career and education, Brownlee played football for the University of Wisconsin, fought as an artillery officer in World War II, and launched a career in journalism that spanned 60 years. Throughout his life, Brownlee opened many new doors for the African American community, breaking into daily news reporting and television reporting and becoming a TV executive—all firsts for a person of color.

Raised by a single mother in a racist Chicago suburb, Les Brownlee overcame hardships to become a journalism pioneer and educator. Though he lived in an era when most people of color were held back in both career and education, Brownlee played football for the University of Wisconsin, fought as an artillery officer in World War II, and launched a career in journalism that spanned 60 years. Throughout his life, Brownlee opened many new doors for the African American community, breaking into daily news reporting and television reporting and becoming a TV executive—all firsts for a person of color.