NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown has died at the age of 87. Brown shattered records during a relatively short NFL career, leading the Cleveland Browns to their last championship in 1964 — and retired in his prime to become an actor.
The nation’s top Black athletes gathered for a meeting at the Negro Industrial and Economic Union to hear Cassius Clay’s view for rejecting Army induction. At the news conference were (front row) Bill Russell, Boston Celtics; Cassius Clay; Jim Brown and Lew Alcindor. Back row (left to right): Carl Stokes, Democratic State Rep.; Walter Beach, Cleveland Browns; Bobby Mitchell, Washington Redskins; Sid Williams, Cleveland Browns; Curtis McClinton, Kansas City Chiefs; Willie Davis, Green Bay Packers; Jim Shorter, former Brown and John Wooten, Cleveland Browns. (Getty Images) 
This image from September 1965 shows Jim Brown, running back for the Cleveland Browns football team. (Getty Images) 
Jim Brown takes a hand off from quarterback Frank Ryan in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. (Getty Images) 
Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns sits on the bench on Oct. 20, 1963. (Getty Images) 
Pro Football Hall of Fame football star Jim Brown talks to a reporter following a news conference at his home in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 1999. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown’s family. He was 87. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) 
Vice President Louis XIII Americas, Yves De Launay and former Cleveland Browns running back and NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown attend Haute Living and Louis XIII Celebrate Jim Brown’s 80th Birthday on Feb. 4, 2016 ,in San Francisco, California. (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Haute Living) 
Former Cleveland Browns running back and NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown and rapper Ludacris attend Haute Living and Louis XIII Celebrate Jim Brown’s 80th Birthday on Feb. 4, 2016, in San Francisco, California. (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Haute Living) 
Former football player Jim Brown attends the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year Ceremony 2016 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on Dec. 12, 2016 in New York City. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
Brown appeared in more than 30 films, including “The Dirty Dozen” and “Any Given Sunday.” Brown was also a prominent leader in the Black Power movement of the 1960s and dedicated much of his life to social causes.
While he gained attention for his activist work, he also was arrested a half-dozen times, mostly on charges of domestic violence.
