How Emeline King Made History
Have you ever heard of Emeline King? Me neither!
Emeline King was Ford Motor Company’s first Black female car designer. Why am I writing about her?
It’s Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. It’s a bit ironic that my friend sent me the link to Emeline’s story today, and am sharing it here too. After all, her story contains some career advice that resonated with me:
☑️”I didn’t let their comments obstruct my view.” Nope! She persevered, despite negative comments.
When she was involuntary let go by Ford, she said:
☑️”I took my lemons and turned them into lemonade.”
☑️“I took my sorrows and blended it into sunshine.”
Sometimes, that’s the motivation you need to carry on.
☑️”From the first day I was hired at Ford up until the very last day that I was let go, my dad told me, ‘Emeline, document everything that you accomplished, achieved, and experienced at Ford because one day it just might come in handy.’”
Excellent advice from Daddy King, and it is golden. It’s what everyone of us should be doing – documenting our accomplishments for future reference.
Below is the abbreviated story about Ms King shared on AfroTech blog:
According to the Ford Performance blog, after 80 years of business, Ford Motor Company hired its first Black female car designer, Emeline King, who would soon help the company develop the concept that led to the interior design of the 1994 Ford Mustang (one of America’s most beloved cars).
From an early age she loved cars but despite that love, it wasn’t until a visit to her father’s job at the Ford Design Center that King discovered her purpose in life was to pursue a career in transportation design.
Although her father encouraged her curiosity for the craft, King recalled how others quickly discouraged and belittled her love for cars.
“I received discouragement from some of my male instructors during my earlier childhood years in school, who often told me, ‘Emeline, girls can’t draw cars! It’s best that you use your little hands to become a nurse or librarian or choose a domestic career that is more female-oriented.’ But I didn’t let their comments obstruct my view,” King explained to Ford.
“After an involuntary company separation from Ford — something I never saw coming or expected — it was a total devastating shock to me. Being the only African American female transportation designer, it took me by surprise, and it took some time to get over it. However, I took my lemons and turned them into lemonade,” King recalled to Ford. “I took my sorrows and blended it into sunshine. From the first day I was hired at Ford up until the very last day that I was let go, my dad told me, ‘Emeline, document everything that you accomplished, achieved, and experienced at Ford because one day it just might come in handy.’”
