Marcia Hood Brown

(1966 - 1999)

        1983 - Graduates from Jefferson High School

        1991 - Wins fellowship to Brandeis University

              1993 - Start teaching at Portland State University

1997 - Awarded doctorate from Brandeis

1999 - Dies of heroin overdose at age 33

     In the fall of 1997, Marcia Hood-Brown had the world on a string. She had just finished her doctorate in   sociology from Brandeis University. She was respected, even  revered, by her students at Portland State University. She had landed a coveted postdoctoral position doing research for the federal government. She was a brilliant scholar, an eloquent writer and a beautiful woman. She was also a junkie. Last month, at the age of 33, Marcia died of a heroin overdose. There were no needle marks on her arms, no syringes in her purse-just a couple of baggies in the kitchen trash containing a  few telltale  crumbs of brownish powder.