On September 1, 1977, Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. became the 3^rd president of BCC and the second African American to lead the college.

Brown arrived at BCC with a history of activism and achievement. During World War II, Brown, along with a number of self-determined black young men, was a Tuskegee Airman. It was the first African-American aviation unit in the U.S. armed forces. He was also a graduate of Springfield College, Massachusetts and NYU.

During his 17-year tenure at BCC, Brown expanded the college’s outreach with the Bronx, fostering community ties, and increased its arts and cultural platform.