Latest news with #TheHenryFord
Malaysian Reserve
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Malaysian Reserve
Celebrate Independence Day at Greenfield Village with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra During Salute to America
July 2–5, 2025Tickets on Sale Now DEARBORN, Mich., June 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Get ready for an unforgettable Fourth of July celebration as two of Michigan's most cherished cultural institutions, The Henry Ford and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), come together once again to present Salute to America, July 2–5, 2025, in the historic heart of Greenfield Village. For more than 30 years, Salute to America has brought people together in a unique blend of history, community, and musical excellence. Set amidst 80 acres of American history, Greenfield Village transforms into a summer celebration from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. each evening. A Multi-Sensory Independence Day Experience Guests will enjoy a lively mix of musical ensembles, street performers in period dress, and classic village attractions, including free carousel rides and holiday themed vignettes. With seven historic districts to explore, every step brings a new sound—from ragtime and Motown to choral harmonies, jazz, and blues. Adding to the fun are street food vendors, selections of craft beer and adult beverages, holiday themed treats, and of course Greenfield Village's world-famous custard. With an additional purchase, guests can also attend our Summer Salute Dinner in the Lodge at Christie and Main which includes summer picnic favorites. As the sun sets, the evening culminates in a grand performance by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Na'Zir McFadden, DSO Assistant Conductor and Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador. The DSO will perform a powerful program of orchestral favorites, including selections from Duke Ellington, John Williams and Aaron Copland and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, complete with live cannon fire. The night concludes with a dazzling fireworks finale that lights up the skies above Greenfield Village. Salute to America is a beloved tradition, and tickets sell quickly. Don't miss your chance to be part of this patriotic celebration. For tickets and more information, visit Salute to America at Greenfield Village | The Henry Ford About The Henry Ford Located in Dearborn, Michigan, The Henry Ford is a globally-recognized destination that fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts that represent the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness in America. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. Together with its online presence at and Invention Convention Worldwide, the growing affiliation of organizations fostering innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in K-12 students, The Henry Ford is a force for inspiring every individual to innovate, create and invent.
USA Today
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
The Henry Ford Museum seeks rare talent: Antique vehicle mechanic wanted
The Henry Ford Museum seeks rare talent: Antique vehicle mechanic wanted Show Caption Hide Caption Ford Motor Company: Understanding the automaker's history, legacy Explore the rich history of Ford Motor Company, from its groundbreaking assembly line innovations to iconic cars like the Model T, Mustang, and F-150. The Henry Ford Museum is hiring an antique vehicle mechanic to maintain its fleet of historic vehicles. The position requires mechanical skills and a passion for sharing automotive history with the public. To be authentic to the history it depicts, The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan at times needs people with distinct and even rare skills. In a job posting in late April, the museum wrote: "Now hiring: We are seeking qualified applicants to fill the one-of-a-kind role of antique vehicle mechanic at The Henry Ford! This full-time position oversees operation, inspection, repairs and preventative maintenance on operating historic land vehicles dating from 1914 to 1953." The job, which according to The Henry Ford's website pays $29.23 an hour, is definitely rarified, though the profession of auto restoration is growing in popularity. A job such as this one not only requires the person to have the mechanical skills to do constant repairs on a large fleet of very old cars, when most modern service technicians work on vehicles that are actually computers on wheels, but it also requires a person who has a little panache. "At The Henry Ford, to work on the cars and be a part of it, you have to understand that you're helping other people experience it and enjoy that passion for it," said Brian Martin, director of the auto restoration program at McPherson College in Kansas. "So being able and willing to do some work in front of people, such as change a flat tire, and explain what you're doing and why, that takes a personality that likes people and sharing your interest with other people.' A spokesperson for the museum said it did find a qualified applicant who accepted the job, but they have not yet started. She said the museum regularly seeks to hire part-time seasonal mechanics as well. The current fleet Martin would know what's needed to the job. He worked as a mechanic intern at The Henry Ford for the summers of 2003 and 2004 when he was still a student at McPherson. The four-year liberal arts college in McPherson, Kansas, about 50 miles north of Wichita, is the only school in the nation to offer a bachelor's degree in automotive restoration. The Henry Ford has hired many McPherson graduates over the years to service the antique cars, including its current mechanic. Service technician shortage: Ford scholarship boosts auto tech careers with specialized program 'It's a very niche thing," said Jim Johnson, director of Greenfield Village and curator of Historic Structures and Landscapes at The Henry Ford. "We've had several graduates over the years who've worked with us and they're very sought-after when they come out of the program because they have amazing skills. So whatever car they're confronted with, from the early teens to the 1970s, they can restore the car to its specifications.' The Henry Ford has two full-time staffers to care for the fleet, one of whom is a mechanic, plus "a big gang of volunteers who come in to help with polishing cars and with simple repairs," Johnson said. But it's not enough, considering the size of the fleet, which is why Johnson wanted to hire another full-time mechanic. Before 2003, The Henry Ford had only two Model T's to give guests rides at Greenfield Village. But as the Ford Motor Co. centennial celebration approached in June 2003, a massive renovation at the village included the installation of a new street system. That allowed the museum to start expanding the number of Model T's and other antique vehicles it owned. Johnson said the museum now has 13 Model T's from 1914 to 1927 model years. Most of them have wooden frames, though Ford was one of the first manufacturers to build vehicles with all-steel bodies in 1923, Martin said. Those 13 Model T's carry visitors around the villlage grounds, typically doing six to eight runs a day seven days a week, he said. Four of the Model T's are replicas made in recent years, but the others are original vintage, Johnson said. The Henry Ford also owns a fleet of nine Model A trucks ranging from 1928 to 1931 model years. "We use those for all the work we do in the village such as hauling things, setting up events. The Ford barn uses one to service that barn or move the horses around," Johnson said. "Any work during village hours, we use historic vehicles to do that." The village has two 1929 Model A cars as well that are used by its security staff, he said, as well other historic vehicles. The entire fleet numbers about 27 vehicles, most of which are heavily used and in need of almost constant care or repair, Johnson said. "It is important to hire someone because the cars are in huge demand, not only to fulfill the daily tours, but we have private tours and events … so there is a wide range of needs," Johnson said. "They are driven in winter, too, so they are exposed to harsh weather and salt." The 'sensual experience' of driving a Model T Martin, who helped get the fleet of Model T's going at The Henry Ford in 2003, learned to drive, repair and maintain a Model T at that time. And driving is a feat not for the faint of heart. The accelerator is a lever on the right side of the steering column, explained Johnson. There are three pedals on the floor, with the far left pedal controlling the gear you are in, so when you press it all the way to the floor, you move forward. The middle pedal is reverse and the far right pedal is the brake. 'There's a lot to think about, and if you have an emergency stop, you have to know what to do to keep the car from stalling," Johnson said. "Once you master it, it's easy to do." Martin said the cars, which all have electric starts, generate about 20 horsepower with a comfortable top speed of 35 mph to 40 mph. Still, driving one can be life-changing, he said. "You're controlling the ignition and driving the throttle by hand and shifting with your feet, so you're actually driving by sound and feel as much as anything," Martin said. "So driving a Model T is a very sensual experience because you're driving the car and making the car work at its best by sound and feel." If you think that's hard, Martin explained how to change a flat tire on a Model T: Put the car up on a jack, leave the wheel attached to the car, but peel the tire and inner tube off. Find the hole in the inner tube, patch it or replace the tube, then restretch the tire back onto the wheel. Inflate the inner tube up to pressure, then bring the car off the jack. Despite the extra work, Martin said the experience of learning to drive and work on Model T's at the museum inspired him to buy a Model T in 2012. He has turned that into his daily car now to drive to and from work and all around McPherson, Kansas. "There's a lot of joy in driving a Model T," Martin said. "Everyone learns about Model T's in school, so when they see one out in the wild, they recognize it and enjoy it. When I go to Walmart, people take pictures of it and kids crawl in it." A Model T personality Martin said historic vehicles are best appreciated by using them, but using them does shorten their lifespan if they are not constantly coddled. "In the confines of using it the way they do in the village, it's a lot of general maintenance, and Model T's are notorious for each having its only personality," Martin said. "So you had to learn its quirks — both to drive them and mechanically to maintain them. You had to know what their little problems were to keep an eye on and you're always looking to do preventative maintenance. At the end of the day, it is a museum and these are working artifacts.' The good news for The Henry Ford is that in the past 15 to 20 years, the profession of restoring classic cars has been growing, Martin said. He has seen it in enrollment at McPherson. "The size of our program has more than doubled in the last 15 years," Martin said. "In 2002, when I started, there were only 28 students in the restoration program and now there's 175." Of the 175 students, 16 are women, he said. The school has had to expand its curriculum as well to help fill the void in the automotive market and collector car world. Martin said the program teaches restoration technology, restoration management, which is coupled with the business program, restoration history, restoration communications for those who go into journalism, design work or auction house work and restoration design, which is partnered with the fine arts department for people who use cars for photography, painting or other fine arts. "Our graduates go to all different parts of the collector car world," Martin said. "We used to just create mechanics, now we create journalists, collector car insurance professionals, managers … it's an endless list.' A career, not a hobby For those pursuing this profession, it isn't just a job, it is a career. For Martin, he said it was a calling. 'I loved history and I loved mechanical things," Martin said. "Because of my experience at the Ford Museum ... I realized you could do a lot more with cars then ever imaginable.' Most of those who opt for a bachelor degree in automotive restoration are people who have an inclination for mechanical engineering, but who want to work with their hands, he said. "They're the weird car guy that's really a car guy, not a, 'Oh, I like cars' guy," Martin said. "There's a real difference between: 'Let me go walk around the car shows on Sunday' versus, 'I'm planning my whole weekend around working on a car.' It's a lifestyle.' The career can provide a stable living too. Martin said, depending on the job and geographical location, a job in the automotive restoration profession can start at $30,000 to $40,000. He knows many people making well into the six-figure salary especially in the collector car world. 'It has adapted recently because the antique car world has exploded in the last 15 years. So I think it is a higher number," Martin said. "I have shops that hire students at $15 to $20 an hour, they don't keep them very long. But there are others that start them at $45,000 a year and as they gain experience, it goes up." Fortunately, Martin believes The Henry Ford will have no problem finding a new mechanic, in part due to its name recognition and also because of the profession's growing popularity. The challenge the museum faces is that it is now a highly competitive market. "In our career fair last February, there were 200 job openings in this for the 40 students we were graduating," Martin said. Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
Malaysian Reserve
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Malaysian Reserve
The Henry Ford Welcomes Nearly 500 Youth Inventors for 10th Annual RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals June 4-6, 2025 in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
DEARBORN, Mich., June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Henry Ford is proud to announce the return of RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals to its campus June 4-6, 2025. This event is in its tenth year and will once again be hosted in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. After advancing from state and regional competitions, nearly 500 K-12 students from across the country will display and present their inventions to judges alongside the greatest innovations in American history. The multi-day competition culminates on Friday, June 6, with an awards ceremony hosted by entertainment and technology television and podcast host and former The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation correspondent Albert Lawrence. Former NASA aerospace engineer, entrepreneur, and citizen astronaut Aisha Bowe will join as a special guest speaker. As the founder of LINGO, Bowe is a nationally recognized advocate for STEM education and youth innovation. In April of 2025, she flew aboard Blue Origin's historic all-female mission. More than 75 awards, including cash prizes, trophies, medals and patent applications, will be presented. 'Invention Convention Worldwide (ICW) brings some of the brightest students in the country to The Henry Ford for three days of competition and invention education programming,' said Patirica Mooradian, president and CEO of The Henry Ford. 'ICW is a game-changer as these kids are learning critical skills, including creative thinking and problem solving, that lay the foundation for future success in the workforce.' Invention Convention Worldwide is a K-12 invention education curricular program mapped to national and state educational standards that teaches students problem-identification, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and creativity skills. The program builds confidence in invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship for life. More than 202,000 K-12 inventors from across the country participated in Invention Convention Worldwide programs in 2025, with the hopes of advancing to the U.S. national competition. 'For over 30 years, we've supported Invention Convention Worldwide because young innovators embody the curiosity and engineering mindset that fuels breakthrough in aerospace and technology. Their innovative thinking and ability to solve problems are motivating and will be essential in driving our industry ahead' said Kristy Becerra, senior director of corporate social responsibility at RTX. Students are challenged to identify a problem in their own lives or communities and follow the seven steps of the invention process in The Henry Ford's free Invention Convention curriculum. Students compete and elevate through local and regional levels before advancing to the U.S. national competition. To participate, students must submit a video presentation of their invention, a prototype, an inventor's logbook showing the journey of their invention process, and a poster board highlighting key points of the invention process. The mission of The Henry Ford's Invention Convention Worldwide is to bring Invention Education to students everywhere. Organizations interested in bringing the year-long program to their region can get more information at
Associated Press
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
DAY OUT WITH THOMAS™: THE PARTY TOUR RETURNS TO THE HENRY FORD MAY 10-11 AND 17-18 FOR ANOTHER TRAIN RIDE ADVENTURE
DEARBORN, Mich., May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- All Aboard! Thomas the Tank Engine, everyone's favorite #1 blue engine, is back and we're celebrating big this year for Thomas's 80th Birthday. Day Out With Thomas: The Party Tour returns to Greenfield Village, The Henry Ford, May 10-11 and 17-18, 2025. Join in on the fun as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of Thomas and Friends™ with a one-of-a-kind experience in Greenfield Village — home to the only Thomas™ steam locomotive in Michigan. Based on 'The Railway Series' of classic stories, Thomas & Friends™ is a rite of passage that inspires childlike imagination while teaching lessons of friendship, exploration and cooperation. You're invited to hop aboard an interactive train ride on Thomas, say hello to Sir Topham Hatt™ and enjoy birthday party-themed games and activities in the Celebration Station. Experience wide-eyed, memory-making moments on a springtime adventure in Greenfield Village, including storytelling, play areas, lawn games, photo ops, live music and more. This milestone celebration is not to be missed. Thomas & Friends is celebrating eight decades of entertaining children and families with its timeless railway adventures. Since its debut in 1945, the beloved franchise continues to captivate young fans with new and exciting adventures. Spanning generations, this beloved series continues to bring families together, creating cherished memories for parents, grandparents and children alike. Admission to Day Out With Thomas™ includes a timed ticket to ride Thomas the Tank Engine™ and themed programming for your littlest engineer — plus, all-day access to Greenfield Village for over 80 acres of inspiration and additional fun. Please visit for a menu of ticket options. About Mattel Inc. Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends™, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Matchbox®, Monster High®, MEGA® and Polly Pocket®, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world's leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us at About The Henry Ford Located in Dearborn, Michigan, The Henry Ford, a globally recognized destination, fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts that represent the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness in America. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. Together with its online presence at and Invention Convention Worldwide, the growing affiliation of organizations fostering innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in K-12 students, The Henry Ford is a force for inspiring every individual to innovate, create and invent. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Henry Ford
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Historic home where Selma march was planned now resides in Henry Ford's Greenfield Village
The grounds of the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation are now home to one of the country's most pivotal residences in civil rights history. The historic Selma to Montgomery, Alabama marches for voting rights in 1965 trace to a critical but often overlooked piece of history: The Jackson Home. The modest Selma residence, once the home of Dr. Sullivan Jackson and Mrs. Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson, played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, serving as a sanctuary and strategic hub for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders as they planned the marches that ultimately changed America. From the Jacksons' living room, Dr. King and others watched President Lyndon Baines Johnson's 'We Shall Overcome' speech as the nation's highest office publicly backed voting rights. A now-iconic photo of Dr. King inside the Jackson Home, published in LIFE magazine, captures this rare and powerful moment – one that underscores the significance of this space in shaping the movement. It was in this very home where leaders planned the final, successful Selma to Montgomery march, which began on March 21 and concluded on March 25 with thousands of courageous marchers. By August, the movement's sacrifices led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Detroit, home to many who marched in 1965, is now the new resting place of the Jackson Home, It will be permanently housed in Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford, ensuring its legacy is preserved for generations to come. More: Detroit man was on phone with Martin Luther King Jr.'s wife during assassination 'All of this work is basically standing on the shoulders of decades of activism by the local community there in Selma, as well as other activists who had come into Selma in the last few years,' said Amber Mitchell, curator of Black history at The Henry Ford. 'For most people, what they will remember about the voting rights movement, in particular, are the events of Bloody Sunday. The very first attempt at the Selma to Montgomery march was on March 7, 1965, and there were three attempts, with this anniversary, March 21 through the 25th being the successful march that ended up opening the door for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We're celebrating the 60th anniversary this year. 'And so, here at The Henry Ford, we are in the process of preserving our first major home acquisition in the last 40 years, the Dr. Sullivan and Richie Jackson home, the Selma home that Dr. King and his lieutenants from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference stayed in during this period of time.' The Jacksons' only daughter, Jawana Jackson, had been operating the family home as a museum in Selma since her mother's passing in 2014 and approached The Henry Ford. 'She was looking for a place to steward her family story,' said Mitchell, 'mainly to be able to keep all these items and artifacts that were in the home, as well as a place that would make sure the home would be able to be seen by large amounts of people, but also be protected and maintained in perpetuity. So, after much deliberation, research, engagement, The Henry Ford decided to go ahead and acquire this home. 'Like I mentioned, it's been 40 years since the last time we moved a house into Greenfield Village, and so we didn't want to take this lightly. We've been engaging experts across the country to assist us in this process. The home was moved in late 2023 and is currently on its brand-new foundation out in the village. Over the course of this next year, we are continuing to restore the home to its 1965 façade and prepare it for opening in the summer of 2026.' Mitchell said moving the house was an arduous task, to put it mildly. 'It's a long way – actually, it's between 900 and 1,000 miles, depending on which way you drive it,' she said. 'With very purposeful care, working with all kinds of historic preservation experts, we essentially removed all the artifacts and items from the home, brought those things up, essentially shored (the house) up on the inside to make sure that the home would not move. Removed the roof, removed the porch, and then, lastly, we cut it in half. So the house was moved up in two separate halves – about a 2,000 sq. ft. home – and both halves were then basically enveloped with waterproof casing and driven up. 'It was a really cool process, but most importantly, they kept the house's integrity.' The home's exterior can currently be viewed while touring Greenfield Village as its work process continues, and photos can be viewed at For the remainder of the year, the museum itself will display 'We Shall Overcome: 60 Years of the Voting Rights Act,' an exhibition featuring the Jackson home project and a number of its artifacts. 'If you are a voter,' said Mitchell, 'the Voting Rights Act and the story of voting in the United States – especially as African Americans – is extremely important, extremely relevant. At the same time, Selma and this area of Alabama have a new connection to Detroit in that many people who made that Great Migration trek to come work in the factories and other facilities here in the Detroit area were coming from Selma, Dallas County, Lowndes County, Alabama. So these are folks who have not only a direct connection back to the area, they also are often related to people who were engaged with the movement. 'Then, just beyond that, this is a story that couldn't be more relevant today, couldn't be more relevant to our collective understanding of American citizenship. I really hope that our visitors and folks across the metro Detroit area and beyond get really excited about this. Think about a community member who opened up their doors to the world and helped transform the way you and I live here today and so many of these images that continue to live in the American mind. We're excited to be able to bring some of those things to life in this exhibit.' For information, visit Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Historic home where Selma march was planned resides in metro Detroit
