Robert Laidlaw Brown was born in Houston, Texas, on June 30, 1941. He moved to Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, when he was fourteen.
Justice Brown received a B.A. in English literature from Sewanee, the University of the South, and an M.A. from Columbia University. He earned his J.D. at the University of Virginia in 1968.
Justice Brown worked in the administrations of several Arkansas luminaries including Jim Guy Tucker and Dale Bumpers. He founded two law firms and taught at the University of Arkansas. Justice Brown was elected to the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1990 where he served until 2012. He was the first recipient of the Robert L. Brown Community Support Award.
He authored numerous articles and wrote Defining Moments: Historic Decisions By Governors from McMath to Huckabee and The Second Crisis in Little Rock: A Report on Desegregation Within the Little Rock Public Schools.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Robert L. Brown and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Robert L. Brown (second from right) with his family: (left to right) sister, Katherine Willoughby Brown (Williams); mother, Katherine Warwick Rust Brown; sister, Anne Warwick Brown (Plant); father, Bishop Robert Raymond Brown
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Robert L. Brown with his mother, Katherine, and sister, Anne, in local newspaper photo; Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Richmond, Virginia, ca. 1948
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Robert L. Brown's mother, Katherine Warwick Rust Brown
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Robert L. Brown's father, Bishop Robert R. Brown
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Dust jacket from Bigger Than LIttle Rock by Robert L. Brown's father, Bishop Robert R. Brown
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Photo taken for Life magazine at meeting regarding Central High School; Robert L. Brown's father, Bishop Robert R. Brown (center); Little Rock, Arkansas, October 4, 1957
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Robert L. Brown's wife, Charlotte Banks Brown
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Robert and Charlotte Brown on their wedding day, 1966
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Robert L. Brown (standing) with Governor Dale Bumpers in the Arkansas Governor's Office, December 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Robert L. Brown (left), with Archie Schaffer III and Dale Bumpers
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Robert L. Brown with his son, Stuart, 1985
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Robert L. Brown with his wife, Charlotte, and son, Stuart
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Robert L. Brown with his wife, Charlotte, and son, Stuart
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Robert L. Brown with his son, Stuart, wife, Charlotte, and their dog
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Robert L. Brown in court
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Flyer for Robert L. Brown's campaign for Arkansas Supreme Court Justice
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Robert L. Brown in his office
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Robert L. Brown in his office
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Robert L. Brown at his desk
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: "Bob Brown Supreme Court" bumper sticker
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Justice Robert L. Brown with his wife, Charlotte, and son, Stuart, family Christmas card
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Robert L. Brown (right) with Tom Dillard at Sandy Edwards's residence; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Justice Robert L. Brown at Sandy Edwards's residence; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Justice Robert L. Brown at Sandy Edwards's residence; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Justice Robert L. Brown at Sandy Edwards's residence; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Justice Robert L. Brown at Sandy Edwards's residence; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Justice Robert L. Brown at Sandy Edwards's residence; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Justice Robert L. Brown at Sandy Edwards's residence; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
