John Brown (judge)

John Brown, one of the "Fifth Circuit Four", and a liberal Republican from Texas, was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 1950s and 1960s, when that court became known for a series of decisions crucial in advancing the civil rights of African-Americans. At that time, the Fifth Circuit included not only Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas (its jurisdiction as of 2004), but also Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and the Panama Canal Zone.