John Safran was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 
1908, and his parents had emigrated here 
from Jugoslavia. When Henry Ford started to 
pay his workers $5.00 a day, John's father 
moved the family to Detroit, and he was 
hired as an expert cabinet maker.

John graduated from the Detroit Public 
School System, and in 1931 he received his 
degree in Law from the Detroit College of 
Law, and was admitted to the Michigan State 
Bar. In 1945 he graduated from the Garrett 
Evangelical-Theological Seminary and was 
ordained a United Methodist Minister.

I 1933 he represented the strikers in the 
first automobile strike in Michigan, held at 
the Briggs Manufacturing Company in the 
Highland Park plant. Five years later he 
became associated with the law firm of the 
General Counsel of the UAW-CIO in Detroit, 
and was one of the best known labor lawyers 
during the 1930's and 40's.  John has been a 
Democrat since 1938 when he ran for the 
Michigan State Legislature with the 
endorsement of labor. Forty years later, he 
was elected one of seven Lapeer County 
Commissioners on the Democratic ticket, and 
served in 1979-80. He was one of the 
candidates for Michigan Governor in 1982.

In the last 15 years, John Safran has 
maintained his legal work, and is also 
active on behalf of Senior Citizens, and in 
local and district church affairs.