Long known as a trailblazer in the Pontiac community, retired 50th District Court Judge Christopher Brown blazed yet another trail on January 20 when he was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award presented by the City of Pontiac. The honor, according to Pontiac Mayor Mike McGuinness, was awarded to Brown for exemplifying “great character, strong leadership, remarkable community service, and commitment to the people of Pontiac.” In 1972, Brown became the first Black judge on the 50th District Court bench, serving six terms in office before retiring. “A trailblazer not only in our city, but our county, region, and state,” said McGuinness of the retired jurist. “An amazing human being – the Honorable Judge Christopher Brown, our inaugural honoree.” In the photo, Judge Brown is flanked by Mayor McGuinness (left) and Pontiac City Councilman Adrian Austin.

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