Henry Ford's Birthday

Henry Ford:  Unshakeable and Unyielding

 “You can paint it any color, so long as it’s black.”  This infamous line was used by Henry Ford when he began assembly-line manufacture of Mobile T, Ford Motor Company’s first commercial car model.  It might as well be his motto for this man had strong beliefs that he was unafraid to stand by.  His views may not have been all right but you’ve got to admire the man for sticking to his guns.

Henry Ford:  The Makings of the Man and the Ford Empire

Henry Ford was a farmer’s son and if he had not a burning passion for all things mechanical, he would have died a farmer as well.  He was born in Greenfield Township of Michigan on July 30, 1864.  He did not want to follow in his father’s footstep so he went to Detroit to work in and get training from a machine shop.

He got married to Clara Bryant in 1888 with whom he begot his only son Edsel Bryant and in 1893, he became Chief Engineer at Detroit-based Edison Illuminating Company.  He invented his first gas-powered automobile chronicled as the Quadricycle.

His companies were Detroit Automobile Company (which went bankrupt), Henry Ford Company (which became Cadillac) and finally the Ford Motor Company.  He died on April 7, 1947 deeding most of his wealth to the Ford Foundation but leaving his company to his family.

Firm or Stubborn?

His Detroit Automobile Company went bankrupt because Ford refused to stop designing and begin producing.  He took the same stance in the subsequent Henry Ford Company so the other investors were forced to supplant him with Henry M. Leland.  Affronted, Ford resigned from the company.

Liberal or Conservative?

Henry Ford introduced the 40-hour workweek and the minimum wage standard ($5 per day at that time) which was awarded to qualified workers.  It decreased his turnover rate and it worked really well for him but most of his peers scorned him for such a move.  However, Henry Ford was against unionizing and was the last of his contemporaries to allow union formation in his plants.

Peace Loving or Profit Loving?

 The answer is probably both for Ford organized a trip to Europe for peace movers and shakers in his effort to stop the war.  Of course, he also made money in this same war for he sold his share of munitions.

Innovative or Stagnant?

 Henry Ford introduced the assembly lines which increased production and made repairs easier.  This is the reason for the success and wide reach of Model T, which in later years of production came in standard black simply because this took a shorter time to dry.  By 1918, Model T was the most prominent car in America.  Ford didn’t want to make changes to Model T but its sales continuously declined on the face of its emerging competitors.  Ford had to listen to his son and introduced Model A with more modern features.  This began the practice of yearly car innovation.

Anti Semitic or Misunderstood?

Henry Ford purchased and published the weekly newsletter “The Dearborn Independent,” which ran only anti-Jewish stories and articles.  A libel suit was filed against him in 1927.  Trial witnesses claimed Ford never read the newspaper and couldn’t have held the sentiments written there.  Others contested that Ford had knowledge and was an active proponent of these anti-Semitic sentiments.  Anyway, the newspaper was forced to close because of the suit and the controversy it generated.