G. Mennen Williams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 59th Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court | |
| In office January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1987 | |
| Preceded by | John Warner Fitzgerald |
| Succeeded by | Dorothy Comstock Riley |
| Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court | |
| In office January 1, 1971 – January 1, 1987 | |
| Preceded by | John R. Dethmers Harry F. Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Robert P. Griffin |
| 11th United States Ambassador to the Philippines | |
| In office June 17, 1968 – April 7, 1969 | |
| President | Lyndon B. Johnson Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | William McCormick Blair Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Henry A. Byroade |
| 2nd Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs | |
| In office February 1, 1961 – March 23, 1966 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Joseph C. Satterthwaite |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Palmer II |
| 41st Governor of Michigan | |
| In office January 1, 1949 – January 1, 1961 | |
| Lieutenant | John W. Connolly William C. Vandenberg Clarence A. Reid Philip A. Hart John B. Swainson |
| Preceded by | Kim C. Sigler |
| Succeeded by | John B. Swainson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gerhard Mennen Williams February 23, 1911 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | February 2, 1988 (aged 76) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Nancy Lace Quirk (m. 1937) |
| Education | Princeton University (AB) University of Michigan (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Gerhard Mennen "Soapy" Williams (February 23, 1911 – February 2, 1988) was an American politician who served as the 41st governor of Michigan, elected in 1948 and serving six two-year terms in office. He later served as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson and as chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.
Williams advocated for civil rights, racial equality, and justice for the poor. As assistant secretary of state, his remark that "what we want for the Africans is what they want for themselves", reported in the press as "Africa for the Africans", sparked controversy at the time.
A staunch liberal, Williams was described by the Chicago Tribune as a political reformer who "helped forge the alliance between Democrats, blacks and union voters in the late 1940s that began a strong liberal tradition in Michigan."[1]
- ^ Franklin, Stephen (February 3, 1988). "G. Mennen Williams, Ex-Michigan Governor". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.