Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company. He revolutionized the automobile industry by making cars affordable for the middle class through mass production, a system known as Fordism. His introduction of the Model T in 1908 transformed transportation and manufacturing, and by the 1920s, half of all cars in the U.S. were Fords.
Born in Michigan, Ford showed an early interest in mechanics and left home at 16 to work in Detroit. After gaining experience in engineering, he founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. His implementation of the moving assembly line in 1913 drastically reduced production costs, allowing him to introduce the $5 workday in 1914, which improved employee conditions and boosted productivity.
Ford was known for his pacifist stance during World War I, though his company later became a major arms supplier. His legacy is tainted by his promotion of antisemitic views in The Dearborn Independent, which influenced Nazi ideology. Despite this, he was instrumental in industrial advancements and left much of his wealth to the Ford Foundation.
In 1945, due to declining health, Ford handed control of the company to his grandson, Henry Ford II. He died in 1947, leaving behind a complex legacy of innovation, economic impact, and controversy.