Last edited Wed Mar 6, 2013, 07:24 PM - Edit history (1)

He was among the first major manufacturers to hire African-Americans. He rejected elitism and other one-percenters but was a megalomaniac. I don't know anything about his views of women's rights or women in the workforce, other than of course women worked on the factory lines during WWII. I do know that my grandmother, born in the late nineteenth century, worked as assistant manager of the cafeteria at the Ford plant in St. Paul, and she LOVED her job, working well past retirement. Unlike many women, she did go back to working in the home after WWII. She kept working until well in her 80s. In another generation, she would have been a CEO of a major corporation, only she never had that opportunity.

As for discussions on feminism: Cultural backlash has convinced many that feminist is a dirty word. Even those who proclaim themselves feminists seem to have little awareness or concern for struggles waged by women before them. They seem to take for granted that they have access to the workforce and running for office. I suppose the conservative turn of the 80s is party responsible, and the ongoing cultural backlash that seeks to reduce women to their physical appearance and thus rests power away from them in the economic and political real.

The ERA failed to receive the requisite number of ratifications before the final deadline mandated by Congress of June 30, 1982 expired, and so it was not adopted, largely because Phyllis Schlafly mobilized conservatives to oppose the ERA. Then came "the moral majority" who succeeded in turning feminism into a dirty word just like they did to the word "liberal"

Us old feminists have been waiting in the wings for the pendulum to swing back. We have had a looong wait. Good to see you here!

The damage they've done to our society is incalculable. The media is equally guilty, amplifying the voice of every crackpot organization, giving us 'fair & balanced' news, like all sides are equal, all for the benefit of their bottom line.

The Internet has been a double edge sword, but is still more a positive in our battle, than a negative. There's more opportunity for harassment, for example the crap that a lot of women bloggers take, but the Internet is also a great tool for education & reaching out. I've learned so much from forums like this.

I love the Henry Ford Museum and have spent many hours there, I have to say I haven't been there in a couple of years though. Every kid who ever grew up in the Detroit area has done the H F Museum/ Greenfield Village field trip at least 5 times in their young lives, I think it's a law.

We're going to Detroit tomorrow.

The Henry Ford Museum was pretty impressive.

I mean the JFK car? A other wow.

(The Reagan car? Not so much)

the Governor seat and sent in the Michigan National Guard to protect the Flint auto workers from the police during their famous sit down strike. We need more Frank Murphys in this country.

I come from a long line of factory rats.

I worked in Grand Rapids. Winters weren't bad if you didn't have to worry about shoveling.

time with us. But yeah, the snow. I'm in Myrtle Beach for the month so I'm trying not to think about it.

The Winters are generally better but sometimes annoying, snow, melt, freeze, ice, melt, refreeze...