Harold E. Hogan is a Brownwood native; he graduated from Brownwood High in 1984. He immediately went to work for Central Texas MHMR for 15 years and while working there he attended Tarleton State University. Always having an interest in law enforcement, Hogan would join Tarleton States Basic Police Academy.

The greatest joy of his life would soon enter the world, his daughter. Wanting to ensure he could provide for her, Hogan decided to pause his educational career and would drive trucks for a while, soon going into sales for Brownwood’s Dr. Pepper’s bottling company for 2 years. With his service and dedication, Hogan would go to work for the City of Brownwood for the next 7 years.

As a child of a preacher, Hogan grew up with a strong faith and love for Jesus Christ. As an adult, he would reconnect and become a licensed ordained minister, preaching sermons at Mt. Zion Baptist Church and soon as a guest pastor at A Breath of Praise Church. 

Having a passion for engaging with people and sales, Hogan took a leap of faith after seven years with the city to work for Bostic Auto as a car salesman, he would go on to be one of the best auto salesmen for the company. In 2020, Hogan, after seven years of selling vehicles, would see another career shift, this time as the first African American elected Justice of the peace for Brown County.  

He would use his education in law enforcement, people engagement and faith to serve the people. He’s served on numerous boards of directors such as Greenleaf Cemetery, Chamber of Commerce, Brownwood Home Solutions, Accel, and Precinct Chair for the Republican party.  Hogan is active today serving as a board member for the Salvation Army, J.R. Beadel Foundation Trustee, ROC (Revitalizing Our Community), and Hendricks Medical Hospital Advisory Board. All the while entering his second term as the Brown County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace.  His favorite quote is “Let no man pull you down low enough to hate him.”- Martin Luther King Jr.

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This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Black History Month and Revitalizing Our Community (ROC) will be spotlighting amazing African Americans, who have made contributions to the community of Brownwood and Brown County.  Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) announced the second week of February to be “Negro History Week”. This week was chosen because it coincided with the birthday of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and that of Frederick Douglass on February 14, both of which Black communities had celebrated since the late 19th century

Black educators and Black United Students at Kent State University first proposed Black History Month in February 1969. The first celebration of Black History Month took place at Kent State a year later, from January 2 to February 28, 1970.

Six years later, Black History Month was being celebrated all across the country in educational institutions, when President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month in 1976, during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. He urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”