HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 155
A resolution of tribute offered as a memorial for Edward Vaughn, former member of the House of Representatives.
Whereas, It was with great sadness that the members of this legislative body learned about the passing of Edward ?Ed? Vaughn. He will be remembered for his fierce dedication to his constituents in Detroit and the people of the state of Michigan; and
Whereas, Edward Vaughn was born in 1934 in Abbeville, Alabama, but raised in Dothan, Alabama. He traveled north to pursue higher education, earning a bachelor?s degree in history and government from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, then studying at the University of Illinois Law School for one year. Ed moved to Michigan in hopes of finding work in the auto industry, but instead he would find his calling as a community leader and a driver of the Civil Rights Movement in Detroit. After marrying his wife, Wilma, in 1957, Ed served in the United States Army until 1959, receiving an honorable discharge. Upon returning to Detroit, Ed opened Vaughn?s Book Store on Dexter Avenue and sold books about African-American history and books by Black authors to the people of Detroit. The bookstore also became a gathering place for local leaders seeking to advance the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Ed also took steps to build institutions and connections outside his bookstore, founding the Pan-African Congress?USA in Detroit, helping to organize the Detroit chapter of the Congress of Racial Equity, and serving as a representative at the Sixth Pan-African Congress; and
Whereas, In 1978, Ed Vaughn turned his attentions to state government, being elected to represent the Eighth District in the House of Representatives. He served as majority vice chair of the Liquor Control Committee, and he also served on the committees on Economic Development and Energy, Public Safety, and Urban Affairs. After losing in the primary election in 1980, Ed returned to Detroit to work in local politics and run Vaughn?s Book Store. He worked as an executive assistant to Detroit Mayor Coleman Young, and he campaigned twice for a seat on the Detroit City Council; and
Whereas, Ed Vaughn returned to the House of Representatives in 1995, serving the Fourth District for three terms. During his second stint in the Legislature, Ed served as chair of the Committee on Constitutional and Civil Rights, as vice chair of the Committee on Agriculture, and as a member of the committees on Economic Development, Insurance, Judiciary, Regulatory Reform, and Tourism. In 1999, when Detroit Public Schools faced a takeover by the state, Ed fought fervently to retain local control of the school district, even in the face of opposition from both parties. Though he was ultimately unsuccessful in this one endeavor, he will be remembered by the people of Detroit for his steadfast commitment to the city?s right to control its own destiny and his belief in their ability to effect positive change; and
Whereas, After reaching his term limit in the House, Ed Vaughn considered continuing his state service in the Senate, but after losing a special primary election in February 2001, he returned to Alabama to be with family. There, he became more involved with the NAACP, being elected vice president of the Dothan/Wiregrass branch and president of the NAACP Alabama State Conference and serving as a delegate to the national NAACP convention in 2014. Vaughn?s Book Store closed in 1994, but in 2023 it was added to the National Registry of Historic Places, and the people of Detroit are working on plans to revitalize the site. The legacy of Vaughn?s Book Store as a place of learning, community, and Black empowerment will continue to inspire Detroiters for generations to come; and
Whereas, Ed Vaughn is survived by his wife, Wilma, five of his six children, and numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. We offer our condolences to his loved ones as they mourn his loss. Ed Vaughn?s contributions to the city of Detroit, to this chamber, and to the people of the state of Michigan will be remembered; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we offer this expression of our highest tribute to honor the memory of Edward Vaughn, a member of the House of Representatives from 1979 to 1980 and from 1995 to 2000; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Vaughn family as evidence of our lasting esteem for his memory.