African-American Automobile New Car 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.

Manufacturer Individual Year Location
Chrysler
Dodge Kenneth O. Wilson 1968 Baltimore, MD
  Todd Cochran and
Roy Knight
1968 San Francisco
  Don Thomas 1968 Newark, NJ
  Arthur Bailey 1968 Brooklyn, NY
Plymouth Ed Davis 1963 Detroit
Ford Motor Company
Ford Dan Gaines 1936 Chicago
  Bob Nelson and
Ernie Banks
1967 Chicago
  A. Gordon Wright 1967 Venice, CA
Lincoln
Mercury
Dan Brown a}
(see notes below)
1969 New Rochelle, NY
  Leslie Bland 1969 Chicago
General Motors
Chevrolet Ed Frazier 1969 Tuskegee, AL.
Buick Joseph Wilson and Maurice McIntosh 1970 Washington, DC
Oldsmobile Homer B. Roberts b} 1924 Kansas City, MO
  Al Johnson 1967 Chicago
Pontiac Adam McFadden 1968 Los Angeles
Cadillac Al Johnson 1971 Chicago
Saturn Tony March c} 1989 Hartford, CT
  Cornelius Martin d} 1991 Clive, IA
Hummer Norma Ross 2005 Centerville, OH
Other Manufacturers
Acura Greg Baranco 1989 Morrow, GA
American Motors Van Vassall 1969 Germantown, PA
Fiat C. G. Hairston 1966 Danville, VA
Honda Bob Neal 2-1979 Chicago
  Porterfield and
Barbara Wilson
3-1979 Detroit
Hupmobile Homer B. Roberts 1923 Kansas City, MO.
Infiniti Ellenae Henry-Fairhurst 1999 Huntsville, AL
Jaguar Bob Neal 1976 Chicago
Lexus Ed Fitzpatrick 1999 Modesto, CA
Mazda Jim Mitchell d} 1999 Winchester VA
Mercedes-Benz Bob Ross 1979 Centerville, OH
MG Bob Nelson 1961 Chicago
Nissan/Datsun Percy Washington 1963 Keyport, NJ
Peugeot Bob Nelson 1962 Chicago
Studebacker Ed Davis 1940 Detroit, MI
Toyota Bob Neal 1967 Chicago
Triumph Bob Neal 1962 Chicago
Volvo C. G. Hairston 1970 Danville, 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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