American Legion Scrapbook

The American Legion is a nonprofit organization operated by and for American veterans. The Legion was established in 1919, and Beaumont’s Post 33 was founded soon after. The scrapbook contains newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence related to the homecoming of Perry Brown, member of Beaumont’s American Legion Post 33, after his election as National Commander, the organization’s highest office. Dale Broussard, for whom the scrapbook was made by Arthur Lee, served as the chairman of the homecoming committee.

The homecoming event took place in Beaumont on December 11, 1948 and included a parade and musical entertainments from singer Roy Rogers and his wife Dale Evans, as well as performances from local music groups, as well as a procession of local Boy Scout troops and military members. A newspaper clipping in the scrapbook describes B-29 bombers and “navy fighters” that flew over the homecoming parade. To honor the occasion, Texas Governor Beaufort Jester declared December 11, 1948 as Perry Brown Day.

According to a 1935 article in the Beaumont Enterprise published to announce his election as post commander of the Legion’s Beaumont Post 33, Perry Brown was a graduate of Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana and owned a local construction firm bearing his name. He began his military career in 1917 at Fort Benjamin Harris in Indianapolis. In 1918, he was sent to Beaumont, France, where he commanded a machine gun company and was promoted to Captain. He was wounded and was discharged in 1919. Brown was also involved in the Boy Scouts and the Kiwanis.