The promise of jobs attracted immigrants from europe, asia, and the united states to settle in the motor city. The book featured only four images of prominent athletes. Auto industry the automobile has been a key force for change in twentiethcentury america. By understanding what happened in michigan through the years, we can more fully comprehend the story of our country, from the earliest settlers to the growth of a city and the development of a wide.
Apr 14, 2017 the 10 best books about the motor city. The modern industry after 1945, sales once again took off, reaching 6. The deindustrialization of detroit has been a major factor in the population decline of the city role of th e automobile indust ry. The cavanagh administration, race relations, and the detroit riot of 1967 by sidney fine. Detroit a biography takes a long, unflinching look at the evolution of one of americas great cities and one of the nations greatest urban failures. Babson begins his account in 1848 when detroit has just entered the industrial era. Oct 08, 2015 chryslers turbulent history june 1, 2017. Over the past twentyplus years, the changing global motor vehicle industry enabled the development of a vibrant automotive industry in the u. The bankruptcy of a symbol if unavailable in your territory, or if you are interested in other license requests. Detroit has reached the highest highs and the lowest lows, but through it all, its been a vibrant city full of character and life. Arsenal of democracy website adds auto industrys coronavirus. They have been important in fighting for the freedoms and benefits that we often take for granted today. One of the citys first and most famous brushes with the auto industry was in 1896, when henry ford testdrove his first automobile in the city.
However, instead of an eastwest geographical orientation of the industry emanating from michigan, the. When you examine the historical context of the auto industry, its easy to see that this major force of the u. Hyde details the brothers civic contributions to detroit, their hiring of. But i am really wondering if someone knows of a comprehensive, well written book about the city, from indian times through the relatively modern era at least the 70s. Jun 03, 2015 detroit is a city with a vibrant, intriguing story that spans centuries. May 09, 2019 by january 1952, 10 percent of all unemployment in the nation was concentrated in detroit. In 1900, detroit had a population of 285,000 people, making it the thirteenthlargest city in the u. By january 1952, 10 percent of all unemployment in the nation was concentrated in detroit.
Apr 14, 2020 daviss knowledge about the auto industry, as well as detroit history, was matched only by his ease at telling tales. Through words and pictures, working detroit documents the events in the citys ongoing struggle to build an industrial society that is both prosperous and humane. A decade later, this is detroit, a pictorial history that was labeled as an official publication of detroits 250th birthday festival, reiterated the status of the national pastime in the motor city. Travel back in time to learn about the history of detroits auto industry at the henry ford museum. As an automotive history buff, i was excited about this book. List of books and articles about automotive industry online. Among more than two hundred auto companies that tried their luck in the motor city, just three remain. When an economic institution so pervasive in our national life as the automobile industry suffers its worst slump in twentyfive years. How the big three lost their grip on the american car market by micheline maynard, the people. List of books and articles about automotive industry. But the model of a social contract has begun to unravel. A road movie about detroit and the automobile industry, a documentary about making a documentary about a city. Prodded by its union, the auto industry served as the 20thcentury trailblazer in spreading prosperity.
The book was a fascinating, indepth history of the car industry in the us and. During the 1920s the industry became the backbone of a new consumer goodsoriented. Exposes the myth of the prosperous postwar auto worker and deftly deals with the delicate interplay among larger national economic forces, auto industry and auto union policies, and the lives of those who labored and lived in the motor city in the decade and a half after world war ii. The history of the economy of detroit san jose state. Impact of globalization of the automotive industry on the. As a uniroyal employee, he would fly to detroit every 8 to 10 years and drive. The decline and fall of the american automobile industry, by.
Henry ford is arguably the most important player in all of detroits history. Anyone interested in the history of detroits automobile industry will find a large and growing literature, including scores of detailed. A biography takes a long, unflinching look at the evolution of one of americas great cities and one of the nations greatest urban failures. Other answers have suggested some of the key ingredients for the success of the automobile business in detroit, such as an ideal location on the great lakes waterway for raw materials access or the simple fact that henry ford was from the region. Discover the best automotive history in best sellers. In motor city, historic auto industry gives way to new life. The deal is contingent on a vote by 36,000 hourly workers and 4,000. From 1880 until the panic of 1893, more than a halfdozen books. Why was the american automobile industry based in detroit.
Detroits history, told in vignettes detroits story is a truly american story, and its unique because of its prime location in the midwest. Here the best books on the legendary american city. Detroit, therefore, owes a great deal of its growth to the auto industry. The thirteenth largest city in the united states in 1900 with 285,000 residents, detroit was compact. Dodge are usually overlooked in histories of the early automotive industry. History of cars and the automobile industry lovetoknow. Much of the story is told through a rich variety of archive footage of the ford plants, mass protests of the depression years, diego rivera painting his famous mural detroit industry, the struggle for trade union rights, the riots of 1943 and 1967 through which the film charts. Collections wayne state university digital collections. Author alan naldrett explores these and more tales of automakers who ultimately failed but shaped the.
Attack on detroits automakers fails the test of history. Jul 19, 20 on thursday, detroit made history and not in a good way. Michauto the auto industry in michigan michigans automotive industry is alive and well not only is the detroit region the birthplace of the automotive industry, it currently produces more cars and trucks than any other state in the country. The decline and fall of the american automobile industry. Unions have been a part of the american working class since the knights of labor captured the countrys imagination in 1878 short history. He is known for perfecting the mass producing assembly line and really launching the auto industry though he didnt invent the car with his ford model t, which is widely considered the first affordable vehicle. The forgotten history of how automakers invented the crime. This book goes on and on and on but i was delighted it did. Detroit was founded as fort detroit on the detroit river north of lake erie as a trading post. The arc of detroit, described in stories from the magazines archive, reads like a tragedy in three acts.
In my opinion, it and the coldest winter are more engaging and entertaining than the best and the brightest and the powers that be, which are the two books hes best. Halberstam gallops through the roller coaster history of the auto industry with special emphasis on personalities and conflicts at ford and, interestingly, nissan. How the american automobile industry came to be founded in detroit. A biography takes a long, unflinching look at the evolution of one of americas great cities, and one of the nations greatest urban failures.
This is how detroit became the motor city hagerty media. Detroit rose and fell with the automobile industry. History of car industry and city population youtube. Originally defined by tightly knit ethnic clusters, the neighborhoods soon began to disperse. Arsenal of democracy resources details the auto industry. If the reckoning may be my favorite of david halberstams books. From its humble beginnings to its time its recent resurgence, detroits story has been traced in many books. Not only is the detroit region the birthplace of the automotive industry, it currently produces more cars and trucks than any other state in the country. Working class masculinities in the american heartland.
At its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, detroits status as epicenter of the american auto industry made it a vibrant, populous, commercial huband then the bottom fell out. Apr 18, 2020 coronavirus efforts could be a big moment in history of detroit automakers. He was a frequent contributor to numerous media outlets, including this one, routinely. Detroit history books i have more than my share of books on specific topics founding of detroit, architecture, auto industry, motown sound, famous detroiters, etc. The bankruptcy of a symbol if unavailable in your territory, or if you are interested in other license requests feature movie, television, documentary, commercial. Lost car companies of detroit by alan naldrett the history press. Separating truth from myth in the socalled golden age of. Several important milestones have helped to shape the modern automobile industry.
In many ways, this financial crisis is 60 years in the making. The industrial history of detroit from cigars to cars jstor. The auto industry boomed anew in late 1952 and early 1953, as the war wound down and metals rationing. Separating truth from myth in the socalled golden age. Greg wallace, director of gms heritage center in sterling heights, mich. In motor city, historic auto industry gives way to new. On thursday, detroit made history and not in a good way. Apr 17, 2009 the arc of detroit, described in stories from the magazines archive, reads like a tragedy in three acts. In the late 1990s japanese auto manufacturers took over more than a quarter of the u. An epic novel 690 pages about a kentucky family that migrates to detroit at the promise of employment in the automobile industry. Over the years he wrote 18 separate books and reportedly had as many as five more in various stages of development when he was struck down. Buick went from being the founder of his own leading auto company to working the information desk at the detroit board of trade.
At its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, detroits status as epicenter of the american auto industry made it a vibrant, populous, commercial hub and then the bottom fell out. Before the invention of the motorized, selfpropelled auto car, detroit was a secondtier industrial city with a diverse, largely regional manufacturing base. Detroits initial growth, in the 1820s and 1830s, came from its economic base in flour milling. Detroits history, told in vignettes america comes alive. More specifically, about the descent of the american auto industry and the rise of the japanese auto industry. Porsche is one of the most important and iconic automotive manufacturers in. Survivor of one epidemic, author and historian mike davis. A history of the american dream in fifteen cars by paul ingrassia, punching out.
The spread of the auto industry outward from detroit proper in the 1950s was the beginning of a process that extended much further afield. The forgotten history of how automakers invented the crime of jaywalking. Daviss knowledge about the auto industry, as well as detroit history, was matched only by his ease at telling tales. Fun inside stuff on the maniacal henry ford i, edsel the son he ruined. A book chronicling the fascinating and disturbing history of slavery in early. The guardian calls it a terrifying lesson in us historyand. The changing face of the auto industry collection contains images from the detroit public librarys national automotive history collection and burton historical collections. Author alan naldrett explores these and more tales of automakers who ultimately failed but shaped the industry and designs putting wheels on the road today. Olds opened olds motor works, which would become the first auto manufacturing plant in detroit. There is a nonprofit group in detroit that has planted more than 81,000 trees in the city since its inception in 1989. At its mid20thcentury heyday, one in six american jobs were connected to the auto industry, its epicenter in detroit. Detroit is a city with a vibrant, intriguing story that spans centuries. Over the following decades, the gr owth of the a utomobile. These photographs and postcards document the auto industry in the detroit area during the first half of the twentieth century.
Mar 31, 2020 but nonetheless, we took on the task of identifying the 40 essential books about detroitthe works that provide a starting point for anyone who wants to understand how detroit became detroit. Auto plants and the parts suppliers associated with the industry were relocated to the southern u. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Detroit has been in the spotlight latelyand thats not necessarily a good thing. Charlie bennett, ty cobb, mickey cochrane, and joe louis. It is successfully promoting urban farming and reclaiming of vacant lots for new greenspace. Alan naldrett divides his time between being a librarian, lecturer and author, having written and cowritten three local history books and a michigan history book as. Much of the story is told through a rich variety of archive footage of the ford plants, mass protests of the depression years, diego rivera painting his famous mural detroit industry, the struggle for trade union rights, the riots of 1943 and 1967. Coronavirus efforts could be a big moment in history of detroit automakers. Apr 10, 2020 a road movie about detroit and the automobile industry, a documentary about making a documentary about a city. The subject was very interesting to me, but i found the writing to be. The 43 best automotive history books recommended by michael batnick and. Mar 27, 2020 attack on detroit s automakers fails the test of history.
Detroit regional chamber economic development chamber initiatives private. The auto industry in michigan detroit regional chamber. Hyde leaves no stone unturned in his chronicle of two of the industrys most important pioneers. As in world war ii, detroit automakers and suppliers are moving at lightning speed to get more medical equipment into. Detroit, synonymous with the auto industry, has a driverless monorail system that moves about 2.
Several years later, ford would help establish the detroit automobile co. But nonetheless, we took on the task of identifying the 40 essential books about detroitthe works that provide a starting point for anyone who wants to. Babson recounts detroits odyssey from a bulwark of the open shop to the nations foremost union town. Detroit s initial growth, in the 1820s and 1830s, came from its economic base in flour milling.
359 851 706 794 325 1300 1536 58 587 51 824 1451 1213 1555 1196 1263 990 611 1297 1262 1413 965 1435 501 121 1116 381 1137