Ralph Francis Browne Jr. was born Feb. 20, 1931, was the oldest of five children and graduated from Roxbury Memorial High School in 1949. He served with the last all-Black Military Unit, the 272nd Field Artillery Battalion, of the Massachusetts Army National Guard awaiting activation for service during the Korean War. For 42 years he worked as a civilian for the Air Force, holding many positions in contract management. In 1964, the year the historic Civil Rights Act was enacted, Mr. Browne became the equal employment opportunity (EEO) officer at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, MA. Thus began a history of serving his community.

In Massachusetts.He served as a Director of the Roxbury YMCA, Chair of the National Board of Blacks in Government, Commander of the William E. Carter American Legion Post 16 in Mattapan, President of the Meetinghouse Hill Civics Association and the Dorchester Allied neighborhood Association, the State President of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Organization,President of the 272nd Veterans Association and the Organization of Afro-American Veterans, Affirmative Action Officer for the Ward 15 Democratic Committee and Dorchester’s Representative on the City of Boston Mayor’s Advisory Committee.