Today In Black History
Frederick Patterson, 1st African African-American car manufacturer
Issue #601 Today In Black History, Tuesday, May 14, 2024
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Today’s Black History WOW!
Frederick Patterson is a name that may not be as well-known as Henry Ford or Walter Chrysler, but his impact on the automotive industry is just as significant.
Frederick Patterson was born in 1871 in Greenfield, Ohio. His father was a former slave. As the first African-American to own and operate an automobile manufacturing company, Patterson paved the way for future entrepreneurs and innovators in the industry.
Frederick graduated from the old Greenfield High School in 1888 and went on to Ohio State University. While at the university, he played on the football team in his junior year on the 1891 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, the first African American to do so. He withdrew from college in his senior year before graduating, taking a job as a high school history teacher in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 1906, Patterson founded the C.R. Patterson and Sons Company in Greenfield, Ohio. The company initially started as a carriage-making business but eventually transitioned to producing automobiles in response to the growing demand for cars in the early 20th century.
Patterson developed the first Patterson-Greenfield car in 1915. His two styles competed with Henry Ford's Model T and sold for $685.
Under Patterson's leadership, the company produced high-quality vehicles that were known for their durability and reliability. One of their most popular models was the Patterson-Greenfield automobile, which quickly gained a reputation for its innovative design and superior performance.
Patterson built a successful business that employed over 100 workers at its peak. He was also a prominent figure in the African-American community, using his influence and resources to support civil rights initiatives and advocate for racial equality.
In 1920, he changed the name of his company to Greenfield Bus Body Company. He built bodies for trucks and buses set upon a chassis made by other manufacturers. The Great Depression had a devastating effect on his company, as widespread financial problems caused his customers to cut back on bus orders.
He became 2nd vice-president of the National Negro Business League during Booker T. Washington's term as leader.
Patterson joined the Republican Party and served as a Greenfield's annual delegate to the Ohio Republican Party caucus. As a delegate and an African-American businessman, he was important to the Warren G. Harding 1920 campaign in turning out the Ohio Black vote.
Frederick Douglas Patterson died in 1932 and was posthumously inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2016.
Today In Black History
In 1877, Jackson State University was founded in Natchez, Mississippi as the “Natchez Seminary. It moved to Jackson in 1882.
In 1888, slavery was abolished in Brazil.
In 1961, a bus carrying the first group of Freedom Riders was bombed and burned in Anniston, Alabama.
In 1966, John B. McLendon became the first African American coach in the ABA after signing a 2-year contract with the Denver Nuggets.
In 1970, police officers killed 2 Black students at Jackson State University in Mississippi.
In 2022, an 18-year-old gunman killed 10 people and wounded 3 people in a racially-motivated attack at a Tops Supermarket in east Buffalo, New York.
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