The Colorado Senate on Thursday honored longtime Denver Post bureau chief Fred Brown with a ceremony as distinctive as the journalist himself, donning masks bearing his likeness and celebrating his five decades of shaping political reporting and ethical standards in the state.

The tribute, offered by Sen. Mark Baisley, R-Woodland Park, noted Brown’s 50 years of public service to Colorado through his work with the Denver Post.

Calling Brown a “giant” among journalism, Baisley said Brown helped countless journalists and lawmakers find their bearings at the Capitol.

Brown’s Friday column was “required reading for everyone who works and plays in politics in Colorado,” Baisley said.

Brown’s email address was “ethical Fred” – a nod to Brown’s focus as well as groundbreaking work on ethical journalism, which included helping to write the code of ethics for the Society of Professional Journalists.

The national SPJ honored Brown by naming its annual ethics award after him and presented it last week to the student journalists at the Indiana Daily Student at Indiana University-Bloomington and the Purdue University student newspaper, the Exponent.

The IU administration canceled the Homecoming Weekend edition of the Indiana Daily Student last October due to articles deemed unflattering by the administration. The Purdue Exponent students printed the IDS and made sure it was in the Bloomington newspaper boxes in time for the weekend.

Fred’s wife, Mary, along with some of his colleagues from his days at the Denver Post, attended the Senate tribute.

When Brown retired in 2002, he was given the unheard-of honor of addressing the state Senate from the well, an honor reserved only for current and former lawmakers.

The Senate honored Brown that day not only by allowing him to address the Senate, but also by having all senators wear a Fred Brown mask as he spoke.

It seemed fitting to dust off the mask once more, Baisley said.

So the 2026 Senate all donned Fred Brown masks in his honor.

The state Senate honors the late Fred Brown, Capitol Bureau Chief for the Denver Post, on May 7, 2026. Video by Marianne Goodland, Colorado Politics.

Brown is also believed to be the originator of the rubber chicken gags around the state Capitol, which was dusted off this year on April Fool’s Day.

A memorial tribute to Brown will be held Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at the Denver Press Club.