Richard H. Austin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard H. Austin
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Richard H. Austin, 1975
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| 39th Secretary of State of Michigan | |
| In office January 1, 1971 – January 1, 1995 |
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| Governor | William Milliken James Blanchard John Engler |
| Preceded by | James M. Hare |
| Succeeded by | Candice Miller |
| Wayne County Auditor | |
| In office 1967–1971 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | May 6, 1913 Stout Mountain, Alabama |
| Died | April 20, 2001 (aged 87) Detroit, Michigan |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Ida Austin |
| Children | 1 |
Richard Henry Austin (born May 6, 1913 – died April 20, 2001) was an important American politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. From 1971 to 1995, he served as the Michigan Secretary of State.
He was the first African American to be elected to this statewide position in Michigan. He was also the longest-serving Secretary of State in Michigan's history. Before this, he was the first Black certified public accountant in Michigan. He also served as the first Black Wayne County auditor from 1967 to 1971.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Austin was born in Stouts Mountain, Cullman County, Alabama. His father worked as a coal miner. When Austin was 11, his father passed away. After this, his mother moved with her three sons to Detroit. As a child, he worked as a bootblack to help his family.
He graduated at the top of his class from Cass Technical High School. He received a sports scholarship to Wayne University. However, he had to leave due to money problems. He then worked in a shoe store and took night classes. In 1937, he earned a degree in business administration from the Detroit Institute of Technology. In 1941, he became the first Black certified public accountant in Michigan.
Professional Career
In 1941, Austin started his own accounting company. It was called Austin, Washington & Davenport. When he became Secretary of State, he sold his share of the company. In 1971, the company changed its name to George Johnson & Company. Today, it is known as GJC CPAs & Advisors.
Early Political Career
Richard Austin was chosen as a delegate for Wayne County. He helped create the 1962 Michigan Constitution at a special meeting. In 1962, he also served on the Michigan State Board of Equalization. He was also elected to the Wayne County Board of Supervisors. From 1963 to 1965, he helped lead the Michigan Commission on Legislative Apportionment.
In 1964, he ran for Congress. He wanted to represent Michigan's 1st congressional district. However, he lost to John Conyers in the Democratic Party primary election. He lost by a very small number of votes.
In 1966, he was elected as the first Black Wayne County auditor. In 1969, he ran for mayor of Detroit. He won the first round of voting. But he lost the final election to Roman Gribbs.
Michigan Secretary of State Achievements
In 1970, Austin was elected as the Michigan Secretary of State. He was the first Black person to hold this job in any U.S. state. He was also the first Black person elected to any statewide office in Michigan, except for the Supreme Court. He served until 1994, becoming the longest-serving Secretary of State in Michigan's history. He lost his re-election bid in 1994 to Republican Candice Miller.
During his time in office, Austin focused on making roads safer. He supported laws that made people use seat belts. He also supported laws for child safety seats. He helped keep the law that required motorcycle helmets. He also made improvements to driver education and traffic safety.
He also made it easier for people to renew their vehicle registrations by mail. He introduced license-plate tabs. In 1975, he created the first "Motor Voter" law. This law allowed people to register to vote when they got their driver's license. This idea became a model for a national law later on.
In 1976, Austin tried to become a U.S. Senator. He sought the Democratic nomination for the seat. The seat was being left open by the retiring Philip Hart. However, Austin was not successful in getting the nomination.
Personal Life and Legacy
In 1939, Richard Austin married Ida Dawson. They had one daughter together. He passed away in Detroit on April 20, 2001. He was 87 years old. He died from a heart attack and Alzheimer's disease. His important papers are kept at Wayne State University.
In 1996, Austin was honored for his work in traffic safety. He was placed on the Michigan Transportation Hall of Honor. The annual award of the Michigan Governor's Traffic Safety Advisory Commission was renamed after him. In 2005, the Treasury Building in Lansing was renamed the Richard H. Austin building. This was done by an act of the state legislature.
