A true steward of courage and encouragement, Command Sergeant Major (Retired CSM) Sidney R. Brown created a legacy that will forever impact Clarksville and beyond. CSM Brown served an honorable and distinguished career in the U.S. Army, and he went on to serve the Clarksville community as a leader and advocate for veterans. During his time as a soldier, he was part of the 3rd battalion, 188th Infantry regiment, 11th Airborne Division, the Army’s second African American paratrooper battalion. CSM Brown was sent to Little Rock, Arkansas, with the 101st Airborne Division during the conflict to desegregate Little Rock Central High School. He served as a leader among soldiers in Vietnam and Korea. Later, he was a graduate of Austin Peay State University and a Montgomery County Commissioner. He is responsible for leading an endeavor to make Clarksville the home of the Brigadier General Wendell H. Gilbert Tennessee State Veterans Home in 2016, and he later lived in the facility. Known as the Tennessee State Veterans Home, for short, the cafe inside is named in honor of CSM Brown and contains a dedication for him on the wall.
In October 2019, the City of Clarksville dedicated the former Birchwood Park to CSM Brown and renamed it, CSM Sidney R. Brown Park at Birchwood. In honor of CSM Brown, the park at Birchwood will be a new location on the Clarksville-Montgomery County African American Legacy Trail.
CSM Brown died Friday, January 3, 2020, after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Jimilla, and his large and loving family. Read the full article about CSM Brown in The Leaf Chronicle here.
More of CSM Sidney Brown’s contributions. According to Clarksville Now: “Brown has served with Habitat for Humanity, Community Action Agency, Tennessee Commission on Aging, Fort Campbell Historical Foundation, and the Tennessee-Kentucky Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA).
“Brown also served on the APSU President’s Circle of Advisers for 15 years; served as chairman of the Board for the Dynamic Six Country Club; president of Elester Garner Chapter, 555th (Triple Nickel) Parachute Association; and as vice-president of Enlisted Affairs for AUSA.
“Austin Peay’s Military Alumni Chapter created the Sidney Brown Scholarship Endowment to benefit active duty military, veteran students, their spouses and children and APSU ROTC cadets.”
A video and article about CSM Brown from Austin Peay State University here.
Clarksville Montgomery County African-American Legacies 
1 thought on “CSM Sidney R. Brown Park at Birchwood”
Comments are closed.