CLEVELAND (WJW) — He shattered records, and fought for civil rights. Honors continue to pour in for legendary Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown.
Brown died last week at the age of 87.
There was a moment of silence for Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown at Monday night’s Cleveland City Council meeting. Council members unanimously passed a resolution of condolence for Brown, who died last Thursday.
“He was more than just a running back, he was a running back for the city, for the Cleveland Browns and he was a champion here as well in all endeavors, so we definitely want to pay our respects to him,” said Ward 5 councilman Richard Starr.
“Obviously, there’s the football experiment of James Brown in Cleveland, but more than that, I think he’s most importantly a role model here in our city … someone that our city can be proud of, someone who had a full, robust and beautiful life, but also someone who is known to be a civil rights leader,” said Ward 3 councilman Kerry McCormack.
FILE – Former football great Jim Brown, left, President of the Black Economic Union, confers with Mrs. Anne Faulkner, 74, in her poor neighborhood at Holly Springs, Miss., Feb. 11, 1970. Brown led about 25 black athletes for the firsthand look at conditions his BEU hopes to improve. In background is Leroy Kelly of the Cleveland Browns. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown’s family. He was 87. (AP Photo/File) 
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 11: Former Cleveland Browns Running Back Jim Brown arrives at the White House on October 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images) 
DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 09: Former Cleveland Browns running back and National Football League Hall of Famer Jim Brown watches the action from the sidelines prior to the start of the preseason game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on August 9, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Browns 13-12 in a preseason game. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
“He’s an athletic icon and he will be sorely missed and he was the face of the Cleveland Browns’ franchise, he’ll be dearly missed in the political world, as well as in the football world,” said Ward 16 councilman Brian Kazy.
Many call Jim Brown the greatest football player in history, shattering record books on the field and a civil rights activist during the 1960s.
“He had a double life, to be able to be a major figure as a football player, but then off the field to have success, whether it was acting, activism, speaking out, fighting all the things, we need in this country, he stood on it back in the time when people weren’t doing that, it was very fair … he was one of them,” said Starr.
Brown also tried to fight gun violence on the street, founding “Amer-I-Can”, a program to help inner-city youth and ex-convicts.
“He was someone who, quite frankly, had impacts across the board in our community, someone that we’re inherently proud of,” said McCormack.
“He stood on something, more than just an athlete, an actual great wonderful man, who was here for the Cleveland Browns for numerous years and brought championships here, you know, he was part of that team that won the last championship before it became the Super Bowl,” said Starr.
