03/01/2026
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This series is to enlighten us all and acknowledge the incredible work of Black African Americans that was performed in the early days of Columbia, Maryland/Howard County.
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Early and Noteable Accomplishments
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Ms. Maggie Brown went on to become valedictorian of her high school class. After that, she would earn a degree in chemistry from the Bluefield State College, located in West Virginia, in the year of 1960.
Later, she would be awarded something that most people never see or never are enriched with the talent to possess. She was awarded an honorary degree from Hood College, located in Frederick Maryland, as The Doctor of Humane Letters. (L.H.D. or D.H.L.; Latin: Litterarum Humanarum Doctor) is a prestigious honorary degree, not earned through traditional study, awarded for significant, sustained contributions to humanity, philanthropy, or the arts. It is bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service, humanitarian efforts, or scholarly achievements.
Ms. Maggie Brown would become a National Institutes of Health chemist and meet her future husband.
Career and Community Service Work
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Ms. Maggie Brown credits Mr. James Rouse, the founder of Columbia Maryland, for his plans in developing Columbia into a more ideal community than most.
As a longtime black resident of Columbia, Maggie Brown was an efficient community activist. She,
eventually, became a high-ranking executive within the Columbia Association. In this role, from 1982
until 1988, she oversaw and
supervised the customer service end of the Columbia Association. In 1993, she was appointed to head-up the Community Services Division of the Columbia Association. This is the
division that oversees the more prominent community activities throughout the city of Columbia. Some of them being, for example, the Columbus (Columbia's first public bus service), before-and after-school day care programs, the Teen Center, the Arts Center, Oakland Manor, Columbia Lakefront Summer Festival (our favorite event), the Columbia Sister City Programs (another of our favorites), as well as the outrageously many summer camps! Ms. Maggie Brown's operations at the Community Services Division of the Columbia
Association oversaw and managed a multimillion dollar budget for all of such activities mentioned above. She also had a brief stint in the county
government as well.
The Honorable, Ms. Maggie Brown was selected to be the president of the Columbia Association (CA) in 2001. No question about it, she elevated herself into becoming one of the most elite and powerful people in all of Columbia, Maryland.
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HOWARD COUNTY GOVERNMENTπΈ
For your relentless pursuit, over the years, of striving for excellence in the area of community relations. And, working, infinitely, hard to make Columbia and Howard County just a little bit better everyday.
We, here at Columbia Maryland Live, salute you and thank you for everything that you have done and everything that you will do in the future.
Ms. Ilana Bittner for her, absolutely, fabulous interview with Ms. Maggie Brown for the Columbia Association's Welcome Center. As well as her long tenure serving the Columbia communities with excellence and talent in everything that she does.
To see her interview...Press, Touch, or Click HERE: http://columbia50.hocomojo.org/category/interviews/
βͺοΈBibliography
Bloom, Nicholas
Suburban Alchemy (2001), 1960's new towns and the American dream.
Ohio State University Press, chapter 9, pages 200-203
Baltimore Sun (01/29/2010), Former Columbia Association president dies at age 70.
Washington Post (10/02/2001)
Columbia Council Halts Search, Names President.
Bittner, Ilana , former columbia association president, Maggie Brown, interviewed in 2003 by Ilana Bittner for a video for the columbia association's welcome center (2003)
URL: http://columbia50.hocomojo.org/category/interviews/
Thank you,
Columbia Maryland Live
Executive Team, 02/28/2026
