One thing I learned, or rather discovered, was how much business meant to Berry Gordy. Despite him being in charge of one of the biggest musical entities in modern music, he decided to only be involved in social - political affairs if it could make him money, as he did by having a benefit concert for Dr. Martin Luther King but also being the first to record his "Dream" speech.
I was not surprised by the way Berry Gordy tried to "pimp" Dr. King. It is documented he had cheated others - e.g., musicians, vocalists, and songwriters - out of their fair earnings. He even devised a story about the founding and operations of Motown, which minimized the contributions of his own family. Moreover, it was his sister - Esther - who spent her time and money to keep the legacy of Motown alive in Detroit after he abandoned the city.
Going back to my family, I'd heard Berry Gordy was a crook. One of my aunt and cousin's won a singing contest for a development deal, but nothing ever came to be because the contest was more for show than anything.
What was so surprising to me about the Motown MLK negotiations was how knowledgable Dr. King's people were about his worth. I was pleasantly surprised that Dr. King's people pushed back and did not just accept the first offer Motown presented to them. Barry Gordy's attempt to lowball Dr. King did not surprise me one bit.
The fact that stood out to me concerned how some people of Jewish descent would not by Ford cars, due to Henry Ford's anti-semitic views. There was one account of a man riding in a cab, who made the driver stop and let him out of it once he learned he was riding in a Ford-made vehicle. Of course, this definitely made sense considering Ford's racist attitudes. According to the author, Henry Ford II was the one who attempted to make amends with his grandfather's legacy by selectively supporting causes important to the Jewish American community. Moreover, if you visit the exhibit on Henry Ford at Greenfield Village, to their credit they do not try to hide his racist views. Like our country's founding fathers who owned slaves, this is proof that "great people" can hold unethical or repugnant social attitudes toward other human beings.
I can't think of the name, but I once use to know the daughter of the man who created the auto wipers. There was a movie about it because Ford (can't remember which Ford was in charge then) never gave credit for her father's creation. People were not a fan of the Ford's for variety reasons.
The efforts of Henry Ford II to rectify the sins of his grandfather wasn't so much as a surprise as it was just nice to learn about. I have read and heard so much about Henry Ford I being a racist antisemite. I had no knowledge of his grandson's efforts. This book is educating me on so many things my head is spinning.
One thing I learned, or rather discovered, was how much business meant to Berry Gordy. Despite him being in charge of one of the biggest musical entities in modern music, he decided to only be involved in social - political affairs if it could make him money, as he did by having a benefit concert for Dr. Martin Luther King but also being the first to record his "Dream" speech.
ReplyDeleteI was not surprised by the way Berry Gordy tried to "pimp" Dr. King. It is documented he had cheated others - e.g., musicians, vocalists, and songwriters - out of their fair earnings. He even devised a story about the founding and operations of Motown, which minimized the contributions of his own family. Moreover, it was his sister - Esther - who spent her time and money to keep the legacy of Motown alive in Detroit after he abandoned the city.
DeleteGoing back to my family, I'd heard Berry Gordy was a crook. One of my aunt and cousin's won a singing contest for a development deal, but nothing ever came to be because the contest was more for show than anything.
DeleteWhat was so surprising to me about the Motown MLK negotiations was how knowledgable Dr. King's people were about his worth. I was pleasantly surprised that Dr. King's people pushed back and did not just accept the first offer Motown presented to them. Barry Gordy's attempt to lowball Dr. King did not surprise me one bit.
DeleteThe fact that stood out to me concerned how some people of Jewish descent would not by Ford cars, due to Henry Ford's anti-semitic views. There was one account of a man riding in a cab, who made the driver stop and let him out of it once he learned he was riding in a Ford-made vehicle. Of course, this definitely made sense considering Ford's racist attitudes. According to the author, Henry Ford II was the one who attempted to make amends with his grandfather's legacy by selectively supporting causes important to the Jewish American community. Moreover, if you visit the exhibit on Henry Ford at Greenfield Village, to their credit they do not try to hide his racist views. Like our country's founding fathers who owned slaves, this is proof that "great people" can hold unethical or repugnant social attitudes toward other human beings.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of the name, but I once use to know the daughter of the man who created the auto wipers. There was a movie about it because Ford (can't remember which Ford was in charge then) never gave credit for her father's creation. People were not a fan of the Ford's for variety reasons.
DeleteThe efforts of Henry Ford II to rectify the sins of his grandfather wasn't so much as a surprise as it was just nice to learn about. I have read and heard so much about Henry Ford I being a racist antisemite. I had no knowledge of his grandson's efforts. This book is educating me on so many things my head is spinning.
ReplyDelete