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Emeline King

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Emeline King
Born (1957-12-16) December 16, 1957 (age 66)
Detroit, Michigan, United States
EducationWayne State University,
ArtCenter College of Design
Occupation(s)Industrial designer, transportation designer, motivational speaker, musician, author
EmployerFord Motor Company (1983–2008)
Known forAutomotive design
Websitewww.emelineking.com

Emeline King (born December 16, 1957), is an American industrial designer, known for her automotive designs. In 1983, she was hired by Ford Motor Company, and became the first Black woman designer for the automobile manufacturer.[1][2][3] King also works as a motivational speaker, musician, and author.[4] She authored an autobiography, "What Do You Mean A Black Girl Can't Design? Emeline King, She Did It" (2021, Claire Aldin Pub.).[4][5]

Biography

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Emeline King was born on December 16, 1957, in Detroit, Michigan,[6] into a Black family. Her father, Earnest O. King Sr. worked as fabrication specialist at Ford Motor Company in Detroit, and from a young age she was exposed to car design.[7][8][9] She graduated from Cass Technical High School in Detroit.[10][11]

King received a bachelor of fine arts degree in industrial design from Wayne State University; and continued her education and received a bachelor of science degree in transportation design at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.[7]

King worked as a transportation designer within the design center at Ford Motor Company, from October 1983 to July 2008.[12][7][13] She designed the 1994 Ford Mustang (fourth generation) interior (also known as SN95).[7][4][14][15] King also made design contributions to other vehicle models, including the interior components in the 1989–1990 Ford Thunderbird (tenth generation); the 1993 Ford Mustang Mach III; the 1994 official pace car roll bar and graphics for the Ford Mustang; the 2000 two-seater Ford Thunderbird interior components; and the 2004 Lincoln Aviator interior door scuff panel and interior components.[8] King also worked in car design in England, Italy, and Germany.[8]

After leaving Ford Motor Company, King wrote her autobiography, "What Do You Mean A Black Girl Can't Design? Emeline King, She Did It" published in 2021 by Claire Aldin Publishers.[4][5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lange, Amy (2022-03-02). "Ford's first Black woman car designer writes book about blazing a trail in auto industry". FOX 2 Detroit. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  2. ^ "New Breed Enters The Male World of Cars By Design". Chicago Tribune. 1994-01-30. p. 69. Retrieved 2024-04-20 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "King, Ford's Designer For The Future". The Atlanta Voice. 1992-05-16. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-04-20 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c d Jordan, Atiya (March 3, 2022). "Emeline King, Ford's First Black Woman Transportation Designer, Authors Motivating Autobiography". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  5. ^ a b Sanders, Brandee (2022-03-06). "Ford Motor Company's First Black Woman Car Designer Pens Autobiography About Barrier-Breaking Journey". NewsOne. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  6. ^ "King, Emeline, 1957–". LC Name Authority File (LCNAF).
  7. ^ a b c d Yates, Shanique (March 20, 2024). "How Emeline King Made History As Ford Motor Company's First Black Woman Car Designer And Became The Interior Designer For The 1994 Ford Mustang". Yahoo! Tech. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  8. ^ a b c Jackson, Stacy (2024-03-21). "Meet Emeline King, Ford's First Black Woman Designer". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  9. ^ "WSU alumna Emeline King recounts her legacy as Ford Motor Co.'s first Black female transportation designer". Today@Wayne. 2018-05-15. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  10. ^ Clor, John M. (December 1, 2021). "Meet Emeline King, Ford's 1st Black Female Transportation Designer". Ford Performance News.
  11. ^ "Emeline King, Ford's 1st Black Woman Car Designer Publishes Her Incredible Life Story". PhenomenalMAG. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  12. ^ "Ford Hires Young Guns To Fire Up New Mustang". The Atlanta Constitution. 1992-06-12. p. 87. Retrieved 2024-04-20 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Trailblazing designer and author Emeline King announced for the Carlisle Ford Nationals". Old Cars Weekly. May 5, 2022. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  14. ^ Mueller, Mike (2022-01-25). The Complete Book of Ford Mustang: Every Model Since 1964-1/2. Motorbooks. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-7603-7288-3.
  15. ^ Abbott, Mekhi (2024-03-15). "Meet Emeline King: Ford's first Black female transportation designer". Afro American Newspaper. The Black Media Authority. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
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