Viola Davis Brown

Viola Davis Brown (April 8, 1936 – December 22, 2017) born in Lexington, Kentucky, was a participant in the civil rights movement with contributions to public health and medical education in Kentucky.

Personal life and education Viola Davis is the daughter of Donnie and Mable (Bryan) Davis. Davis married Percy H. Brown on June 29, 1957. Percy and Viola have five children together: Clarence, Michael, Bonnie, Donna, and Linda. In 1959, Mrs. Brown became the first to attend the Nazareth School of Nursing affiliated with St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Viola Brown graduated in 1959 and was soon appointed to the position of Supervisor of Nursing. In 1960, this was the first promotion of its kind for an African American in Kentucky.

Career Concluding her education at the University of Kentucky, Viola Brown worked as an office nurse, at Holloway, Playforth and Archer, P.S.C., of Lexington from 1966 to 1972. Shortly thereafter, Brown became a Primary Care and Family Nurse Practitioner for Hunter Health Care, Inc. of Lexington as well.

Viola D. Brown was appointed by Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown Jr., as Executive Director of the Office of Public Health Nursing for the Kentucky Department of Health Services in Frankfort, Kentucky in 1980. Brown became the first African American nurse to lead a state office of public health nursing in the United States. Brown also became the Principal Assistant to the Kentucky Commissioner of Health in 1982, as the Chief Nurse Representative to all branches of state government, local health departments, health professions and the community located in Frankfort. Additionally, Brown participated in activities of the Southern Health Association, Kentucky Nurses Association, and the Kentucky League for Nursing which recognized her with the Special Recognition award in 1989.