Marjorie Jean and Robert P. Griffin '44 & '47
BA
CMU Faculty and Senator
Senator Robert Paul Griffin was born in Detroit, MI to a blue-collar family. He was the first one in his family to go to college and attend graduate school. He served in WW II in Europe, earning two Battle Stars. He married Marjorie (CMU ’44 Valedictorian) in 1947, and moved to Traverse City to practice law. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate for 22 years, and on the Michigan Supreme Court for eight years.
Marjorie was valedictorian of her high school class, and valedictorian of her graduating class at CMU. She served as president of the Association of Women Students and as the first chairman of the Central’s Victory Loan Fund for returning veterans. Marjorie taught high school teacher in Greenville for two years before returning to CMU as a faculty member in Park Library. She later served a decade as a member of the Board of Governors of the Clarke Historical Library.
In 1955, Robert ran for Congress, won the election and moved his family to D.C. He joined and led a group of progressive Republicans called the “Young Turks” who overturned the House Republican leadership in 1963 by electing his friend from Michigan, Gerald Ford, as chairman of the party conference. Two years later, they succeeded in electing him the House Republican leader. Griffin remained a confidant of Pres. Ford through his years as vice president and, after Nixon’s resignation, as the nation’s 38th president.
Senator Griffin is most well known for the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959 which, to this day, is still one of the major pieces of labor legislation. It came about after investigations and televised hearings into corruption and organized crime connections in labor union. He also voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and 1964, the 24th Amendment to the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
After her served five terms in the House, he announced (1966) that he was running for the U.S. Senate. Incumbent Democratic Senator Patrick McNamara died in office six months before the election and Griffin’s good friend Gov. George Romney appointed him to fill out McNamara’s term. He then won the seat in 1966 and again in 1972. He was one of the few Senators who was not independently wealth had had to live off his salary while maintaining residences in both Michigan and D.C.
In the Senate, he served as Minority Whip for eight years and served on the Judiciary, Finance and Foreign Relations committees. He was a supporter of President Richard Nixon until Watergate, writing to the President in 1974 to inform him that if the White House did not release tapes that the Watergate Committee had subpoenaed, that he would face impeachment and trial in the Senate. He went on to work behind the scenes to persuade Nixon to step down, working with Rev. Billy Graham and Senator Barry Goldwater.
Senator Griffin lost his campaign in 1978 to Carl Levin and returned to Traverse City to practice law. He was elected in 1987 to the Michigan Supreme Court and served until 1994.
During his years in Washington, he met many world leaders and celebrities and was invited to the White House every week for strategy meetings with President’s Nixon and Ford. He served with six U.S. Presidents and his last visit to the White House was for President Ford’s 90th birthday party in 2003.
Senator Griffin was honored in 2003 by the State Bar of Michigan with their Distinguished Public Servant Award. In 2006, the Traverse City court house was renamed the Robert P. Griffin Hall of Justice. He has been honored with 11 honorary degrees and donated his U.S. Congressional papers to the Clarke Historical Library after he left the senate.
Both Bob and Marge sat on CMU’s Clarke Historical Library Board of Governors, and hosted several meetings in their home. The Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government at CMU was developed in their honor in 2000 and both were actively involved in fundraising and the advisory board for it. The purpose of the Chair is to stimulate interest and active participation in the political system and public service. The Senator passed away in 2015 and Marjorie in 2017.
Fun Fact: In 1966, during Robert’s first Senate Campaign, a suburban Detroit rock band released a promotional song in support of his candidacy. The song entitled “Give Bob the Ball” spoke to Bob’s youth and experience.