Martha Edna Wright Griffiths (Jan. 29, 1912 – April 22, 2003)

Martha Griffiths was born and raised in Pierce City, Missouri. She was a champion debater and was part of the debate team while attending the University of Missouri, from which she graduated in 1934 with a B.A. in Economics. She and her husband, Hicks, graduated from the University of Michigan law school. They then both worked in an insurance company and later practiced law together in their own firm.

Martha Griffiths’ first attempt at running for public office in 1946 ended in defeat. Just two years later, however, Martha was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives where she served two terms. She ran for Congress in 1952 but the bid was unsuccessful. The following year, Martha became the first woman to serve as the Judge of Recorders Court in Detroit. In 1955, she was elected as the first Democrat woman from Michigan to Congress. She was reelected 9 times, serving ten terms in Congress, until 1974. Martha was the first woman to serve on the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means.

During Griffiths’ long career in the U.S. House of Representatives, she was a tireless and effective advocate for the rights of women. Her crowning legislative achievements were her successful advocacy for the inclusion of women in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the later passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) by both the House and Senate. (The ERA did not make it into the U.S. Constitution because it later fell three states short of the 38 needed for ratification.) She also worked successfully for the passage of Title IX, a law which protects against sex discrimination in education, and for positive changes to social security, education and people with disabilities.

Griffiths retired from Congress in 1974 and in 1982 was elected as the first female Lieutenant Governor of the state of Michigan. She served in this role until 1991. Congresswoman Griffiths died on April 22, 2003 at age 91.

Griffiths was inducted to the Michigan Women’s Hall of fame in 1983 and the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993. She was recognized posthumously in March 2007 as a National Women’s History Month honoree.

The Griffiths Leadership Society for Women was established at the University of Missouri in 2005 and named in honor of Martha Griffiths. Currently, the Society, with 200 student and alumni members, meets twice each year in Columbia. The Society uses mentoring relationships and workshops to enhance members’ leadership and networking skills and to promote personal and professional development.

For more information visit www.griffithsleadershipsociety.com.