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AFRICAN-AMERICAN DEALERS

AFRICAN-AMERICAN DEALERS Listed By Individual Automotive Manufacturer

As was true in developing a chronology of those African-Americans appointed by date, it was also possible to develop a summary of those African-Americans who were the first to be franchised by the individual manufacturers. It is believed the listing below is 98% accurate. As research continues, this information will be up-dated as appropriate.

YearManufacturerIndividualLocation

Chrysler

1968DodgeKenneth O. WilsonBaltimore, MD
1968 Todd Cochran and Roy KnightSan Francisco
1968 Don ThomasNewark, NJ
1968 Arthur BaileyBrooklyn, NY
1963PlymouthEd DavisDetroit

Ford Motor Company

1936FordDan GainesChicago
1967 Bob Nelson and Ernie BanksChicago
1967 A. Gordon WrightVenice, CA
1969Lincoln MercuryDan Brown a}
(see notes below)
New Rochelle, NY
1969 Leslie BlandChicago

General Motors

1969ChevroletEd FrazierTuskegee, AL.
1970BuickJoseph Wilson and Maurice McIntoshWashington, DC
1924OldsmobileHomer B. Roberts b}Kansas City, MO
1967 Al JohnsonChicago
1968PontiacAdam McFaddenLos Angeles
1971CadillacAl JohnsonChicago
1989SaturnTony March c}Hartford, CT
1991 Cornelius Martin d}Clive, IA
2005HummerNorma RossCenterville, OH

Other Manufacturers

1989AcuraGreg BarancoMorrow, GA
1969American MotorsVan VassallGermantown, PA
1966FiatC. G. HairstonDanville, VA
2-1979HondaBob NealChicago
3-1979 Porterfield and Barbara WilsonDetroit
1923HupmobileHomer B. RobertsKansas City, MO.
1999InfinitiEllenae Henry-FairhurstHuntsville, AL
1976JaguarBob NealChicago
1999LexusEd FitzpatrickModesto, CA
1999MazdaJim Mitchell d}Winchester VA
1979Mercedes-BenzBob RossCenterville, OH
1961MGBob NelsonChicago
1963Nissan/DatsunPercy WashingtonKeyport, NJ
1962PeugeotBob NelsonChicago
1940StudebackerEd DavisDetroit, MI
1967ToyotaBob NealChicago
1962TriumphBob NealChicago
1970VolvoC. G. HairstonDanville, Va.

Notes:

  • a} 20% ownership – dealer principle
  • b} Appointed a "distributor" in 1924
  • c} Dual-retail
  • d} Exclusive

Sources: Based on research conducted by Rusty Restuccia beginning in 1995. Primary sources were the individual minority dealer associations, newspaper and magazine articles.

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