Certificates of recognition presented to Brown by the California Legislative Black Caucus, A Living Black History Maker (1981); California State Assembly, for receiving the 1995 Leadership Award from the Bay Area Union Labor Party (1995).; City and County of San Francisco (1972); City of Las Vegas, Willie Brown Jr. Day (1985); City of Newark, New Jersey, Willie Brown Day (1986); City of Youngstown, Ohio (1987); Lorenzo Patino School of Law, University of Northern California, honorary law degree (1994); State of Nevada, Willie Brown Jr. Day (1985; Ventura County Board of Supervisors (1992).