Aurelia Browder

Aurelia Shines Browder (Coleman) was born January 29, 1919, died February 4, 1971. Mrs. Browder was active in the in the fight to increase black voters. to that end, she tutored many would be voters to assist them in passing voter examinations. She was diligent in efforts to eliminate the poll tax charged to registered voters and assisted in the transportation of voters and registrants.

Mrs Browder, was one of the plaintiffs in the class action civil rights lawsuit, Browder vs. Gayle. Attorney Fred Gray stated that he made her lead plaintiff because she was middle age between the two teen-agers and the two senior citizens. He stated that her role and the role of the other plaintiffs were of equal importance. Mrs. Browder was a Nurse Mid-Wife, a Seamstress, Business Woman, and attended Alabama State University as an adult student where she graduated with honors. It was at Alabama State University where she met Jo Ann Gibson Robinson, the person who influenced her to participate in the law suit. Her children reports that she was a member of the National Association of for the Advancement of Colored People, the Southern Christian Leadership Council, (SCLC) and the Montgomery Improvement Association. She taught veterans at Loveless School.