(NNPA)—Ever since Henry Ford declared he’d pay $5 a day to workers in his factories, African Americans have had a love affair with the automotive industry in the United States. “The Great Migration” of Blacks from the South to the North was largely due to the demand for factory labor. In 1910, fewer than 600 autoworkers were African American. By 1929, that number grew to more than 25,000. Unfortunately from then until now, the love we’ve had for the auto industry has gone largely unreturned. Making sure there is equity in our relationships with the auto industry drives my work on the Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project, the annual Global Automotive Summit and the Automotive Diversity Scorecard.
According to IHS Polk, all people of color purchase 27 of every 100 new vehicles and represent 150 percent more growth than non-ethnic markets. Additionally, African Americans lead the industry in brand loyalty with more than half returning to the same brand. Simply put, without ethnic purchases many automakers would go out of business.
About Post Author
