Edward J. Jeffries Jr. was born on April 3, 1900, and passed away on April 2, 1950. He was an American politician who worked as a city council member and served as the mayor of Detroit.

Early life

Edward Jeffries was born on April 3, 1900, in Detroit, Michigan, to Judge Edward J. Jeffries and Minnie Stott Jeffries. His father was a city official, a police justice, and a judge on the Recorder's Court. He ran for mayor several times but was not elected. He believed in helping people from less fortunate backgrounds and taught his son the importance of helping others and contributing to his community.

Edward attended public schools in Detroit and then studied at the University of Michigan. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1920 and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1923. He later studied Roman and British common law at Lincoln's Inn in London from 1923 to 1924. After returning to Detroit, he worked as a lawyer. In 1929, he became general counsel for Royal Maccabees Insurance, a role he held until his death in 1950. In 1930, he married Florence O. Bell.

Politics

In 1931, Jeffries ran for a seat on the Detroit City Council and was elected. He served on the council for four terms, from 1932 to 1940, and was president during the last two years. During his time on the council, Jeffries was influenced by John C. Lodge, a long-time council member who shared Jeffries’ moderate views. Jeffries was more moderate than his father, who held radical ideas, and he preferred to work within the existing system rather than challenge it directly. Lodge, who had a similar outlook, became a key supporter of Jeffries.

In 1939, Jeffries ran for mayor of Detroit against Richard Reading. Jeffries campaigned as an economically conservative and socially responsible reformer. Reading was involved in a major corruption case that led to his imprisonment. Jeffries won the election by a large margin. He ran for mayor again in 1940, 1944, and 1948, winning each time and serving as mayor from 1940 to 1948. Jeffries’ attempt to win a fifth term was unsuccessful because of his unpopularity after the 1943 race riot. He lost the election to councilman Eugene Van Antwerp. Jeffries was later elected to the City Council again in 1950 but died in office.

Edward Jeffries had a heart attack on March 18, 1950, while on vacation in Miami Beach, Florida. He passed away on April 2, 1950, one day before his 50th birthday. A section of I-96 in Livonia and Detroit is named in his honor.