Legacy to Legend: Winners Make It Happen

Book excerpt: The Honorable Floyd L. Griffin Jr. with President Barack Obama, the first African American President of the United States. Griffin was first African American to be elected to the Georgia State Senate from the Twenty-fifth legislative district, an area with a majority of white voters. In 1998 Griffin was candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. In 2002, Griffin continued to do what political experts said was impossible by becoming the first African American mayor of the Old Capitol City of Georgia, Milledgeville. At different times in his life, Floyd Griffin has been a cadet, Vietnam Helicopter Pilot, Army Colonel, football coach, professor, businessman, state senator and mayor. Throughout his life of change and challenges, Floyd Griffin has always been dedicated to public service. In 1994, Griffin did what political experts said was impossible. He literally stormed onto the political scene and defeated an incumbent Georgia State Senator. The victory made Griffin the first African American in modern times to be elected in a rural legislature district containing a majority of white voters. In 2000, Griffin continued to do what political experts said was impossible by becoming the first African American mayor of the Old Capitol City of Milledgeville, GA. The Honorable Floyd Griffin served as Senator of Georgia’s Twenty-fifth District for two terms. In the Georgia Senate, Griffin was Chairman of the Interstate Cooperation Committee and served on the Defense and Veteran’s Affairs, Health and Human Services, Higher Education, Local and State government operations and the powerful Rules committees. In 1998, Griffin was candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. His candidacy for Lieutenant Governor made him the first African American to run for that office in modern times. Griffin was elected Mayor of the city of Milledgeville for the term 2002–2006. He was the sixty-seventh Mayor to serve. Former Mayor Griffin served on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Alexandria, VA. In 1967, he entered the United States army. In Vietnam, Griffin served as a helicopter pilot, instructor pilot, aviation platoon leader and commander of a construction engineer company. After combat service he commanded an engineer battalion under General Norman Schwarzkopf, then served on the Army Staff at the Pentagon and was later promoted to the rank of colonel. Floyd Griffin has also worked as an educator. At Wake Forest University he served as an Assistant Professor of Military Science. He was the director of ROTC at Winston-Salem State University, where he coached the football team’s backfield as they won two conservative college championships. Griffin has served as a part-time instructor at the Georgia College and State University School of Business. Former Mayor Griffin served on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Alexandria, VA. In 1967, he entered the United States army. In Vietnam, Griffin served as a helicopter pilot, instructor pilot, aviation platoon leader and commander of a construction engineer company. After combat service he commanded an engineer battalion under General Norman Schwarzkopf, then served on the Army Staff at the Pentagon and was later promoted to the rank of colonel. Floyd Griffin has also worked as an educator. At Wake Forest University he served as an Assistant Professor of Military Science. He was the director of ROTC at Winston-Salem State University, where he coached the football team’s backfield as they won two conservative college championships. Griffin has served as a part-time instructor at the Georgia College and State University School of Business.