Shown above: Family, friends, and officials unveil the Lester ‘Bop’ Brown Memorial Highway sign on Greene County Road 191. Three Memorial signs honoring Brown were placed along that road.

On Saturday, December 16, 2023, Greene County Road 191 in the Union community was dedicated as the Lester ‘Bop’ Brown Memorial Highway in commemoration of a much beloved community leader who served Greene County and other areas of the Black Belt Region for many years. The dedication ceremony, organized by Commissioner Garria Spencer, who now serves District 1, was attended by family members, friends, community and political leaders, including Union Mayor James Gaines and Town Council Members, District 5 Commissioner Roshanda Summerville, District Judge John H. England, who also served a period of time as legal counsel to the Town of Union, and community worker, Dr. Carol Zippert.
All who lifted Brown spoke of his untiring dedication and work in the community. He was noted as a strategic, generous and compassionate leader who did not hesitate to cuss you out if he thought that was warranted. Many speakers mentioned that, among other services from Bop, they missed the bags of sweet potatoes he distributed to families throughout the county during holiday times. His gifts also included other fresh vegetables and Muscadine grapes.
Following in his mother’s footsteps, Mrs. Annie Brown, Lester ‘Bop’ Brown was a social activist and trail blazer all his life. As a primary school student in the 1960’s, he was one of first Black students to enroll in the desegregated Eutaw Elementary School. From then on, he was a warrior for justice.
Brown served in various capacities in Greene County, including the following: City Councilman with the Town of Union; Greene County Highway Department, Solid Waste Supervisor; Greene County Racing Commissioner; Greene County School Board Member; Greene County Commissioner; member of the Greene County Democratic Executive Committee and an active member of the Greene County Chapter of Alabama New South Coalition.
He attended Shelton State Community College, C.A. Fred Campus in Tuscaloosa and served in the Army National Guard for 20 years.
Commissioner Brown died suddenly on January 22, 2022, at 61 years of age, as he completed his second four-year term on the Greene County Commission, representing District 1, and prepared for re-election to the same office. He was heralded as Greene County’s Commissioner, for he served wherever he was needed, district lines did not matter to him.