Richard H. Austin

Austin was born in Stouts Mountain, Cullman County, Alabama, on May 6, 1913. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from the Detroit Institute of Technology.[1] He was an accountant by profession.

In 1941, Austin became a certified public accountant, the first African-American CPA in Michigan (11th in the USA), and was a senior partner in the firm of Austin, Washington & Davenport. Austin later sold the firm Austin, Washington & Davenport to George G. Johnson when Austin became Michigan Secretary of State in 1970. The firm then became known as George Johnson & Company and now operates as GJC CPAs & Advisors. GJC is the first and oldest African-American owned CPA firm in the State of Michigan.

He served as a delegate for the Wayne County 6th District to the constitutional convention that produced the 1962 Michigan Constitution. In 1964, he ran for Congress in Michigan's 1st congressional district, but lost to John Conyers. He then made an unsuccessful bid to become mayor of Detroit in 1969.

In 1970, Austin was elected as the Michigan Secretary of State. During his tenure, he supported the enactment of laws mandating use of seat belts and child safety seats. In 1976 Austin unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Philip Hart. Don Riegle won the nomination and went on to serve three terms.

In 1994, Austin lost his bid for re-election to the office of Secretary of State to Candice Miller, a Republican. Austin was the last Democrat to serve as Secretary of State of Michigan until 2018, when Democrat Jocelyn Benson was elected to the office.[2]

Austin died from Alzheimer's Disease on April 20, 2001, at the age of 87.

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