Mrs. Jeffrey spent a lifetime working on labor, civil rights, education, health care, youth employment and recreation issues. Her tireless efforts were recognized in 2000 during a White House ceremony hosted by President William Clinton as he awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
Born in Alton, Iowa in 1910, Mrs. Jeffrey was the oldest of seven children. Her fervor for social activism was fueled in 1928 as a student at the University of Minnesota where she joined the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and the YWCA.
Following graduation from the University of Minnesota and Bryn Mawr College, she realized that to improve the lives of working women and men she would have to change the system. To that end, she joined the labor movement during the tumultuous 1930's and embarked on a journey that would span several decades while touching countless lives and causes. In 1944 she accepted a job as director of the newly formed Women's Bureau of the United Auto Workers (UAW), an affiliation that continued until her retirement in 1976.
In the political arena, Mrs. Jeffrey was very active with the Democratic Party, preferring to work behind the scenes organizing, canvassing, consulting, fundraising and providing counsel to numerous officeholders at the state and federal levels, including presidents from John F. Kennedy to William Clinton.
Mrs. Jeffrey's affiliation with Wayne State University began in 1974 when she was elected to the Wayne State University Board of Governors, an office she held for 16 years (1976-1990), and she was named chair in 1979. Her dedication and fondness for the university, its students and institutions, was well known among the campus community. She also resided on campus until recently.
Mrs. Jeffrey was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame and was an original board member of the Michigan Women's Foundation. She served in various leadership roles in numerous national and state organizations such as the Coalition for Labor Union Women, Americans for Democratic Action, National Abortion Rights Action League, Voters for Choice, EMILY's List and the American Civil Liberties Union.
The family requests that donations be made to one of the following two funds established in her name at Wayne State University. The Mildred Jeffrey Endowed Scholarship Fund, providing awards of varying amounts to Wayne State undergraduate students based upon scholastic achievement or promise, desirable qualities of character and leadership, and financial need; or, The Millie Jeffrey Endowed Professorship for Women in the Workplace, established to honor its namesake for her unwavering and lifelong commitment to improving the lives of working women. This endowment, once fully funded, will provide for the creation of a dedicated faculty line within the college, who will devote research and teaching to the unique struggles and accomplishments of women in the workforce. Donations may be sent to: Office of Development, Beecher House, 5475 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202. For more information, call (313) 577-2275, or the toll-free number (877) 978-4438.