Born in 1948 in Anniston, Alabama, Dr. Morris Brown, Ohio, was raised in a family where hard work and community service were paramount. The fourth child among eight siblings, he grew up in a home where his mother had progressed from a sharecropper to a nurse's aide, and his father split his time between manual labor and his duties as a Baptist preacher. This environment, ripe with challenges yet underpinned by resilience, profoundly shaped his aspirations and resolved to contribute meaningfully to society.

Dr. Brown's early employment as a grocery bagger and cashier marked his initial steps toward breaking racial barriers, leading him into the healthcare sphere, where he first assisted his mother at her workplace. These experiences exposed him to the realities of medical care and sparked his ambition to pursue a career in medicine. He excelled academically and was class president at Cobb Avenue High School, finishing third and attending Knoxville College. He further honed his leadership skills there through involvement in the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and student government, ultimately graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

His passion for medicine led him to Meharry Medical School, where he committed to training physicians to serve in underserved communities. Upon graduating in 1974, Dr. Brown entered the United States Air Force Medical Corps, where he served as Director of Aerospace Medicine. This role expanded his medical expertise and provided him with invaluable experiences in various medical scenarios.

Following his military service, Dr. Brown took a pivotal role in reconstructing Central State University's health facilities after they were devastated by a tornado. His leadership during this challenging time was instrumental in restoring vital health services.