Henry Ford

Lore & Background

Henry Ford was born on a farm in Greenfield Township, Michigan, and left home at age 16 to find work in Detroit. He first experienced automobiles a few years before that, and throughout the later 1880s began repairing and constructing engines. In the 1890s he worked with a division of Edison Electric. He founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903 after prior business failures, but was successful in constructing automobiles.

Ford introduced the Model T in 1908, which revolutionized transportation and American industry. He became sole owner of the company and one of the wealthiest people in the world. He was among the pioneers of the five-day work-week and believed consumerism could help bring about world peace. His commitment to lowering costs led to innovations including a franchise system for dealerships across North America and on six continents.

Ford was known for pacifism during the first years of World War I, though his company became a major weapons supplier. He promoted the League of Nations. In the 1920s he promoted antisemitism through his newspaper The Dearborn Independent and the book The International Jew. He opposed U.S. entry into World War II and served on the board of the America First Committee. After his son Edsel died in 1943, Ford resumed control but was frail and quickly came under subordinates' control. He turned over the company to his grandson Henry Ford II in 1945. Upon his death in 1947, he left most of his wealth to the Ford Foundation and control of the company to his family.

Reader's Guide

Henry Ford's significance lies in his role as founder of the Ford Motor Company and his development of Fordism, a system that made automobiles affordable for middle-class Americans. The introduction of the Model T in 1908 is credited with revolutionizing both transportation and American industry. His technical and business innovations included a franchise system that established car dealerships throughout North America and on six continents. He was also among the pioneers of the five-day work-week. However, his legacy is complicated by his promotion of antisemitism in the 1920s through his newspaper and a book, and his opposition to U.S. entry into World War II. After his death, most of his wealth went to the Ford Foundation, and company control remained with his family.

Did You Know?

• Ford was awarded a patent in 1911 for the transmission mechanism used in the Model T and other automobiles.
• He built his first motor car in 1892, powered by a two-cylinder four horsepower motor.
• Ford set a land speed record of 91.3 miles per hour in 1903 on the ice of Lake St. Clair.
• He left most of his wealth to the Ford Foundation upon his death in 1947.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous." — Henry Ford "International financiers are behind all war. They are what is called the international Jew: German-Jews, French-Jews, English-Jews, American-Jews ... the Jew is the threat." — Henry Ford "History is bunk. What difference does it make how many times the ancient Greeks flew their kites?" — Henry Ford "Jews have always controlled the business [...]. The motion picture influence of the United States and Canada [...] is exclusively under the control, moral and financial, of the Jewish manipulators of the public mind." — Henry Ford