April 24, 2023 • 8 mins
Why Do Black Folks love Cadillacs? When Cadillac was at their worse they turned to affluent African Americans for help, Listen and enjoy while I explain the series of events that led to Black folks being fans of Cadillacs.
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Onemichistory.com
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/12/24/cadillacs-cultural-turn/7374f4c7-b78f-4007-9938-51ab24bf3522/
https://www.jstor.org/stable/490070
https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/nicholas-dreystadt-ended-racism-at-cadillac-in-the-1930s/
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/one-mic-black-history--4557850/support.
Audio:
Onemichistory.com
Please support our Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=25697914
Buy me a Coffee
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Countryboi2m
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/12/24/cadillacs-cultural-turn/7374f4c7-b78f-4007-9938-51ab24bf3522/
https://www.jstor.org/stable/490070
https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/nicholas-dreystadt-ended-racism-at-cadillac-in-the-1930s/
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/one-mic-black-history--4557850/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Have you ever wondered why African Americanslove Cadillacs so much? Or did you
know that Martin the King applied fora concealed handgun permit? Well, those
are the two stories that we're goingto talk about today, and then you
would like to ask your own questionsabout African Americans, you can do so
at when Mike hisstory dot com inthe contact page also likes what challenge could
(00:20):
do some about me coffee on ourPatreon page in the tricriptions below, give
us five stars and Apple podcasts andsupport the YouTube channel. But without further
ado, let's get started. Haveyou ever wondered why black people love Cadillacs?
For African Americans, Cadillacs were notjust a popular brand, but they
became a symbol of success and pride. And as it turns out, Cadillacs
didn't become a fan favorite of AfricanAmericans by accident. During the beginning of
(00:44):
the twentieth century, cars began toenter the American landscape. During that period,
carmakers started to pop up all overthe place. In nineteen oh three
alone, fifty seven companies were established, but surely there after twenty seven of
them win bankrupt. Cadillac, though, is one of the oldest and longest
brands in automotive history, having enteredthe market as General Motors luxury brand in
(01:04):
nineteen o three. The brand wasalmost an immediate success and quickly developed a
reputation for excellence in the automotive communitybecause of their design and engineering, and
of course, they didn't sell theblack people. Cadillac was General motors top
of the line and most expensive product, but the company had an unwritten rule
of not selling its cars to blackcustomers. But the Great Depression started to
(01:26):
devastate the automotive market, luxury manufacturerssuch as Cadillac faced a substative decline in
sales. In nineteen twenty eight,General Motors produced one million, seven hundred
thousand vehicles, with forty one thousandof them being Cadillacs, but by nineteen
thirty three, the production had droppedto just seven hundred and eighty thousand vehicles,
(01:46):
with only seven thousand of them beingCadillacs. That is the decline of
eighty four percent. And as theeconomy began to downturn, so did affluent
white consumers. GM's executive committee wouldgather together in a METI to make a
decision on the future of the Cadillacdivision, who was losing so much money
that they had plans to close thedivision down. Unexpectedly, Nicholas drs Did,
(02:08):
who was uninvited and in charge ofGM service department nationwide, knocked the
door and act if he could justbe heard for ten minutes. The executive
community granted his requests. Dryst hadstated that he had a plan to make
Cadillac profitable in eighteen months. Whiletraveling around the country and visiting different service
departments, he had observed a significantnumber of African Americans in the service department
(02:31):
at Cadillac dealership. They were membersof the small African American elite boxers,
entertainers, lawyers, doctors, andministers, but they were not allowed to
buy a new car in the showroom. Drivest had found out that blacks were
paying white frontman three hundred dollars topurchase the cars for them. He asked
the question, why should these menget several hundred dollars to profit that should
(02:52):
go to General Motors. So heproposed a radical idea to target African American
elite by marketing a special Cadillac forthem. He believed had to be important
step towards Cadillac becoming a profitable business. By targeting the African American elite,
he could increase their presence in theluxury market and build a relationship with a
new customer base. Drives it urgedthese that could committee to go after the
(03:14):
African American market or at least allowthem to come into the show. Roole
Gim would accept Drives the suggestion,and he would play a major role in
the increase sales of Cadillac during thenineteen thirties. While the Great Depression was
still in full swing. In nineteenthirty four, Cadillac sales roles seventy percent,
leading to GM to sell enough vehiclesto make the Catillac division break even
(03:36):
that year. Furthermore, from nineteenthirty three to nineteen forty one, sales
increased from six thousand units to sixtysix thousand units, that is an increase
of almost tenfold. So on Junetenth of nineteen thirty four, Drives that
with promoted to general manager of theCatillac Division. Now drives us initiative ending
their race and sales policy in nineteenthirties apparently did not carry over to Catillac's
(03:59):
marketing. The division wanted dealers tostop turning away black customers, but it
did very little to actually attract them. With the resurgence of the economy in
the post World War Two eraor Cadillac'sprint and television advertisements during that period continue
to define excellence as white. Thisexclusionary advertising would extend all the way to
the nineteen seventies, with Cadillac portrayinga world of glamor and excellence that only
(04:24):
comprised the white people. But Cadillacwasn't the only one, because most automotive
manufacturers during that time had advertisements thatwere completely white. During the same time
period. Additionally, individual car dealersmaintained a significant degree to control over their
showroom. According to renowned automotive journalistWarren Brown, his mother was unsuccessful in
(04:44):
her attempt to purchase a new Cadillacfrom a dealership in New Orleans in nineteen
sixties. However, she would ultimatelybe able to acquire her desired car,
a nineteen sixty five Coup de Ville, from a white man in a different
location. Cadillac's diversity in marketing divisionserved as a model for other divisions of
General Motors and other automotive companies.This trend was primarily motivated by money more
(05:06):
than morality, so that's how Cadillacbecame the first luxury car brand to intentionally
market to black consumers, and inthis case, Cadillac's acknowledshment literally saved them
from bankruptcy. Martin Luther King usedto carry a weapon and even applied for
a concealed handgun permit. In Januaryof nineteen fifty six, after his house
(05:27):
was firebombed, Doctor Martin Luther Kingapplied to the local sheriff for a concealed
handgun permit. However, he wasdenied on the grounds that he was deemed
unsuitable. Family members and friends wereconcerned for King's safety and urged him to
hire a bodyguard or at least anarmed watchman. But after a meeting with
Beyard Rusten to show his support forthe Montgomery bus boy Catt, the meeting
would forever change King and the civilrights movement. King had read the philosophy
(05:51):
of pathophonism, but he had notyet abraced it into his life. When
Byard Rusten arrived into Montgomery, doctorKing and Kreta owned the gun, but
br Rusta's influence encouraged them to reconsiderand accept pastphonism as a way of life.
King came to the realization and itwould be hypocritical for him to carry
a weapon even for his own protection, stating, how could I serve as
(06:14):
a leader of a non violent movementand at the same time use a weapon
of violence for my own protection.Harry Blasler was a proponent of dgenics movement
and wrote the Model Ugitical Sterilization Law, which passed the Virginia on the same
day as the Racial Integrity Act ofnineteen twenty four. This law allowed for
the fourth sterilization of individuals and stateinstitutions under the assumption that it would be
(06:38):
beneficial for them and for society.Concurrently, the Racial Integrity Act required the
Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics to documentthe race of each newborn and made it
illegal for white and non white partnersto wed collectively. These laws were meant
to purify the white race. Eugenistwas derived from the Greek word well and
(06:59):
born, and it was a philosophicalterm or selective breeding. It strives to
remove undesirable qualities by hindering certain peoplefrom having children. Sir Francis Golden generated
the term in eighteen eighty three,portraying eugenius as the study of the influences
that can advance or damage the hereditaryqualities of future generations physically and mentally.
(07:20):
As tugenics gained widespread support in theUnited States at the beginning of the twentieth
century, many states began to authorizedoctors to forcibly sterilize their patients. When
the Supreme Court of held Virginia tugenicalsterilization law in Buck the Bail in nineteen
twenty seven, Virginia's law became themodel of the rest of the country and
(07:41):
facilitated the four sterilization of more thansixty thousand men and women nationwide. Virginia's
law later was co opted by Germanyduring World War Two and was relied upon
as a president for their race purityprograms. After World War Two, eugenical
theory was heavily criticized, but thesterilization programs persisted long after the end of
(08:03):
World War Two. Thank you,I'm your host country boy, and this
has been one of my history.I'm going to continue with this mini series
and if you have questions where youjust want to leave your comments. Like
I said, you could do soon mike history dot com in the contact
page. Thank you for listening andpeace
Have you ever wondered why African Americanslove Cadillacs so much? Or did you
know that Martin the King applied fora concealed handgun permit? Well, those
are the two stories that we're goingto talk about today, and then you
would like to ask your own questionsabout African Americans, you can do so
at when Mike hisstory dot com inthe contact page also likes what challenge could
(00:20):
do some about me coffee on ourPatreon page in the tricriptions below, give
us five stars and Apple podcasts andsupport the YouTube channel. But without further
ado, let's get started. Haveyou ever wondered why black people love Cadillacs?
For African Americans, Cadillacs were notjust a popular brand, but they
became a symbol of success and pride. And as it turns out, Cadillacs
didn't become a fan favorite of AfricanAmericans by accident. During the beginning of
(00:44):
the twentieth century, cars began toenter the American landscape. During that period,
carmakers started to pop up all overthe place. In nineteen oh three
alone, fifty seven companies were established, but surely there after twenty seven of
them win bankrupt. Cadillac, though, is one of the oldest and longest
brands in automotive history, having enteredthe market as General Motors luxury brand in
(01:04):
nineteen o three. The brand wasalmost an immediate success and quickly developed a
reputation for excellence in the automotive communitybecause of their design and engineering, and
of course, they didn't sell theblack people. Cadillac was General motors top
of the line and most expensive product, but the company had an unwritten rule
of not selling its cars to blackcustomers. But the Great Depression started to
(01:26):
devastate the automotive market, luxury manufacturerssuch as Cadillac faced a substative decline in
sales. In nineteen twenty eight,General Motors produced one million, seven hundred
thousand vehicles, with forty one thousandof them being Cadillacs, but by nineteen
thirty three, the production had droppedto just seven hundred and eighty thousand vehicles,
(01:46):
with only seven thousand of them beingCadillacs. That is the decline of
eighty four percent. And as theeconomy began to downturn, so did affluent
white consumers. GM's executive committee wouldgather together in a METI to make a
decision on the future of the Cadillacdivision, who was losing so much money
that they had plans to close thedivision down. Unexpectedly, Nicholas drs Did,
(02:08):
who was uninvited and in charge ofGM service department nationwide, knocked the
door and act if he could justbe heard for ten minutes. The executive
community granted his requests. Dryst hadstated that he had a plan to make
Cadillac profitable in eighteen months. Whiletraveling around the country and visiting different service
departments, he had observed a significantnumber of African Americans in the service department
(02:31):
at Cadillac dealership. They were membersof the small African American elite boxers,
entertainers, lawyers, doctors, andministers, but they were not allowed to
buy a new car in the showroom. Drivest had found out that blacks were
paying white frontman three hundred dollars topurchase the cars for them. He asked
the question, why should these menget several hundred dollars to profit that should
(02:52):
go to General Motors. So heproposed a radical idea to target African American
elite by marketing a special Cadillac forthem. He believed had to be important
step towards Cadillac becoming a profitable business. By targeting the African American elite,
he could increase their presence in theluxury market and build a relationship with a
new customer base. Drives it urgedthese that could committee to go after the
(03:14):
African American market or at least allowthem to come into the show. Roole
Gim would accept Drives the suggestion,and he would play a major role in
the increase sales of Cadillac during thenineteen thirties. While the Great Depression was
still in full swing. In nineteenthirty four, Cadillac sales roles seventy percent,
leading to GM to sell enough vehiclesto make the Catillac division break even
(03:36):
that year. Furthermore, from nineteenthirty three to nineteen forty one, sales
increased from six thousand units to sixtysix thousand units, that is an increase
of almost tenfold. So on Junetenth of nineteen thirty four, Drives that
with promoted to general manager of theCatillac Division. Now drives us initiative ending
their race and sales policy in nineteenthirties apparently did not carry over to Catillac's
(03:59):
marketing. The division wanted dealers tostop turning away black customers, but it
did very little to actually attract them. With the resurgence of the economy in
the post World War Two eraor Cadillac'sprint and television advertisements during that period continue
to define excellence as white. Thisexclusionary advertising would extend all the way to
the nineteen seventies, with Cadillac portrayinga world of glamor and excellence that only
(04:24):
comprised the white people. But Cadillacwasn't the only one, because most automotive
manufacturers during that time had advertisements thatwere completely white. During the same time
period. Additionally, individual car dealersmaintained a significant degree to control over their
showroom. According to renowned automotive journalistWarren Brown, his mother was unsuccessful in
(04:44):
her attempt to purchase a new Cadillacfrom a dealership in New Orleans in nineteen
sixties. However, she would ultimatelybe able to acquire her desired car,
a nineteen sixty five Coup de Ville, from a white man in a different
location. Cadillac's diversity in marketing divisionserved as a model for other divisions of
General Motors and other automotive companies.This trend was primarily motivated by money more
(05:06):
than morality, so that's how Cadillacbecame the first luxury car brand to intentionally
market to black consumers, and inthis case, Cadillac's acknowledshment literally saved them
from bankruptcy. Martin Luther King usedto carry a weapon and even applied for
a concealed handgun permit. In Januaryof nineteen fifty six, after his house
(05:27):
was firebombed, Doctor Martin Luther Kingapplied to the local sheriff for a concealed
handgun permit. However, he wasdenied on the grounds that he was deemed
unsuitable. Family members and friends wereconcerned for King's safety and urged him to
hire a bodyguard or at least anarmed watchman. But after a meeting with
Beyard Rusten to show his support forthe Montgomery bus boy Catt, the meeting
would forever change King and the civilrights movement. King had read the philosophy
(05:51):
of pathophonism, but he had notyet abraced it into his life. When
Byard Rusten arrived into Montgomery, doctorKing and Kreta owned the gun, but
br Rusta's influence encouraged them to reconsiderand accept pastphonism as a way of life.
King came to the realization and itwould be hypocritical for him to carry
a weapon even for his own protection, stating, how could I serve as
(06:14):
a leader of a non violent movementand at the same time use a weapon
of violence for my own protection.Harry Blasler was a proponent of dgenics movement
and wrote the Model Ugitical Sterilization Law, which passed the Virginia on the same
day as the Racial Integrity Act ofnineteen twenty four. This law allowed for
the fourth sterilization of individuals and stateinstitutions under the assumption that it would be
(06:38):
beneficial for them and for society.Concurrently, the Racial Integrity Act required the
Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics to documentthe race of each newborn and made it
illegal for white and non white partnersto wed collectively. These laws were meant
to purify the white race. Eugenistwas derived from the Greek word well and
(06:59):
born, and it was a philosophicalterm or selective breeding. It strives to
remove undesirable qualities by hindering certain peoplefrom having children. Sir Francis Golden generated
the term in eighteen eighty three,portraying eugenius as the study of the influences
that can advance or damage the hereditaryqualities of future generations physically and mentally.
(07:20):
As tugenics gained widespread support in theUnited States at the beginning of the twentieth
century, many states began to authorizedoctors to forcibly sterilize their patients. When
the Supreme Court of held Virginia tugenicalsterilization law in Buck the Bail in nineteen
twenty seven, Virginia's law became themodel of the rest of the country and
(07:41):
facilitated the four sterilization of more thansixty thousand men and women nationwide. Virginia's
law later was co opted by Germanyduring World War Two and was relied upon
as a president for their race purityprograms. After World War Two, eugenical
theory was heavily criticized, but thesterilization programs persisted long after the end of
(08:03):
World War Two. Thank you,I'm your host country boy, and this
has been one of my history.I'm going to continue with this mini series
and if you have questions where youjust want to leave your comments. Like
I said, you could do soon mike history dot com in the contact
page. Thank you for listening andpeace
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