62 | AUGUST 19 • 2021 

Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Memories of Sen. Carl Levin
T

his will be the second week in-a-row that 
I write about a legend. Sen. Carl Levin 
passed away on July 29 at the age of 87. 
Few people have had the impact that Levin 
had upon America. Shortly after his death, there 
were numerous articles in national media that 
related his many accomplish-
ments and, more important, told 
of his personal integrity and his 
love for Detroit and Michigan. 
The longest serving senator in 
Michigan was also one of the 
hardest working senators with 
admirable intellectual skills. 
From his election to the 
Detroit City 
Council and retirement as a 
U.S. senator, Levin’s career 
can be followed in the pages 
of the William Davidson 
Digital Archive of Jewish 
Detroit History. Enter “Carl 
Levin” into the search box 
and you will see that he is 
cited on nearly 1,500 pages 
in the Archive. Those pages 
demonstrate Levin’s contri-
butions to the well-being of 
our nation and state while in 
Washington, D.C. They also 
show he was often “on-the-
ground” in Michigan, wheth-
er speaking at a synagogue 
or traveling to the Upper 
Peninsula to meet with constituents. He contin-
ued to make presentations and attend communi-
ty events until shortly before his death, all while 
he was waging a four-year battle with cancer. 
I cannot do justice to his accomplished career 
in this brief column. I relate two personal sto-
ries, instead.
My first meeting with Sen. Levin was in 
2009, when I was director of the Walter Reuther 
Library at Wayne State University. I was nom-
inated for Archivist of the United States that 
year. I was honored to be nominated, but this 
meant that I needed support in Washington. 
Eugene Driker made the contact with Levin for 

me (for which I am still grateful). Soon, I had 
an appointment to meet the senator. I’ll admit, I 
was nervous. I was meeting a legend. Would he 
support me?
Levin warmly received me like I was a 
V
.I.P
. But he treated everyone like that. I was 
impressed with how intently he listened. One 
of the best moments of my career came when I 
knew he would support me. His eyes sparkled 
and he simply said, “Okay. Let’s get to work.
” In 
the end, I was not selected for the position, but 
the fact that Carl Levin actively supported me 
was a great reward and a great honor.
Our paths crossed again a few years 
later, after he retired from public ser-
vice. Levin placed 
his archives, more 
than 1,200 boxes of 
papers and numer-
ous digital files, 
with the Bentley 
Historical Library 
at the University of 
Michigan. Although 
I spoke with Carl sev-
eral times by phone 
as he periodically sent 
records to the Bentley, 
I spent one Saturday 
with both him and his 
daughter, Kate, review-
ing his archive. It was a 
most engaging day.
“I’m still a lawyer at 
heart,
” Levin said, as he proceeded to grill 
me about every detail regarding the future of 
his archive at the Bentley. It gave me a taste of 
how Levin handled his duties as a 
senator. He would leave no question 
unanswered.
Carl Levin was a mensch of the 
highest order. I am particularly 
grateful to have known him. He 
will be greatly missed, especially 
by me. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives, 
available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

Memories of Sen. Carl Levin

an appointment to meet the senator. I’ll admit, I 
was nervous. I was meeting a legend. Would he 

and he simply said, “Okay. Let’s get to work.
” In 

I spoke with Carl sev-

as he periodically sent 
records to the Bentley, 

with both him and his 
daughter, Kate, review-
ing his archive. It was a 

“I’m still a lawyer at 

me about every detail regarding the future of 
his archive at the Bentley. It gave me a taste of 

senator. He would leave no question 

Go to the DJN Foundation archives, 

