Richard H. Austin

Richard Henry Austin (May 6, 1913 – April 20, 2001) was an American politician. A Democrat, he served as the Michigan secretary of state from 1971 to 1995, the longest-serving secretary of state in the state, the first African American elected to the position, the first Black person to win election to any statewide office in Michigan except the Supreme Court. Also the first Black certified public accountant in Michigan, he previously served from 1967 to 1971 as the first Black Wayne County auditor, and ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Detroit in 1969.

Early life and education Austin was born in Stouts Mountain, Cullman County, Alabama. His father, a coal miner, died when Austin was 11, after which his mother moved with her three sons to Detroit;

After graduating first in his class from Cass Technical High School, he was awarded an athletics scholarship to Wayne University, but had to leave for financial reasons; working in a shoe store and taking night classes, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from the Detroit Institute of Technology in 1937,

Professional career In 1941, Austin founded the accounting firm of Richard H Austin & Co, which later became Austin, Washington & Davenport. After becoming Secretary of State in 1970, he sold the firm, which in 1971 became George Johnson & Company and now operates as GJC CPAs & Advisors.

Early political career Austin served as an elected delegate for the Wayne County 6th District to the constitutional convention that produced the 1962 Michigan Constitution.

He was elected the first Black Wayne County auditor in 1966.

In 1969 he ran for mayor of Detroit, leading in the nonpartisan primary but lost to fellow Democrat Roman Gribbs, 49% to 51%.

Michigan Secretary of State In 1970, Austin was elected as the Michigan Secretary of State, making him the first Black person to hold that position in any U.S. state

During his tenure, Austin emphasized road safety, supporting the enactment of laws mandating use of seat belts and child safety seats and retention of the law requiring motorcycle helmets,

Personal life and death In 1939 Austin married Ida Dawson; they had a daughter. He died in Detroit on April 20, 2001, at the age of 87, from a heart attack and Alzheimer's disease. His papers are held at Wayne State University.

Legacy In recognition of his service to traffic safety, Austin was placed on the Michigan Transportation Hall of Honor in 1996, and the annual award of the Michigan Governor's Traffic Safety Advisory Commission was renamed for him. The Treasury Building in Lansing was renamed to the Richard H. Austin building by an act of the state legislature in 2005.