Departments

Millie Jeffrey – 1910-2004
A tireless fighter for social justice

Millie Jeffrey -- the first woman to direct a UAW department, leader in the fight for women’s rights, behind-the-scenes political force, and inspiration to generations of progressive activists – died peacefully, surrounded by her family, on March 25. She was 93.

Millie Jeffrey was barely five-foot tall, but she was a towering figure in the union movement, the women’s movement, and Democratic politics for more than a half century.

“Millie was absolutely fearless when it came to fighting for equality, fairness, and human dignity,” said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. “She was a first-rate organizer and coalition builder; she brought people together and served as a role model for many us.”

Millie spent a lifetime working on labor, civil rights, education, health care, and youth employment issues, and mentored legions of women and women in the labor, civil rights, women’s rights, and peace movements.

In 2000, President Clinton presented Millie with the Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor, saying: “Her impact will be felt generations, and her example never forgotten.”

As a founding member and chair of the National Women’s Political Caucus, Millie played a key role in the campaigns of many women candidates, including 1984 Democratic vice-presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Governor Jennifer Granholm (Mich.), and U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (Mich.-13). Former Colorado Congresswoman Pat Schroeder once remarked: “Millie is the political godmother for many of us.”

Millie also ran successfully for public office herself, winning statewide election to the Wayne State University Board of Governors, an office she held for 16 years (1974-1990). She served three terms as Board Chair.

Millie was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame, and served in leadership roles in a wide variety of national and state organizations, including the Coalition for Labor Union Women, Americans for Democratic Action, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

She joined the UAW staff in 1944 as director of the newly formed UAW Women’s Bureau – the first woman to head a UAW department. From 1949 to 1954, she ran the union’s radio station, and then moved on to direct the UAW Community Relations Department. From 1968 until her retirement in 1976, she was director of the UAW Consumer Affairs Department.