--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I think about the auto-industry and…" description: "\"When I think about the auto-industry and how it was one of the industries that brought all of these black men from the South to Michigan and other plac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/bell-hooks-464_auto-industry_when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and_2453729.jpg" --- # When I think about the auto-industry and how it was one of… ![“When I think about the auto-industry and how it was one of the industries that brought all of these black men from the South to Michigan and other places to make more money than they could ever make in the cotton fields or the agricultural world of the South... what's happening now is all of that…” quote by Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/bell-hooks-464_auto-industry_when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and_2453729.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/bell-hooks-464_auto-industry_when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and_2453729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/bell-hooks-464_auto-industry_when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and_2453729.jpg) > “When I think about the auto-industry and how it was one of the industries that brought all of these black men from the South to Michigan and other places to make more money than they could ever make in the cotton fields or the agricultural world of the South... what's happening now is all of that is closing down, and we know that it's going to reopen in Southern places, focusing on Mexican and other migrant workers to come and work cheaply and get none of the benefits.” [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author highlights how the auto industry's collapse displaced Black workers who once migrated for better wages, and warns that new low‑wage labor will replace them without benefits. **In simple terms:** Auto industry loss hurts Black workers; future labor will be cheap and unprotected. Key Takeaway Advocate for fair labor practices and economic justice. Themes labor race economics Mood critical reflective Type analytical social justice When to use this quote - community organizing - policy advocacy - union negotiations - educational outreach Key Concepts systemic inequality industrial decline migration patterns Questions to Reflect On - What policies could protect displaced workers? - How can communities rebuild economic stability? A Different Perspective Economic shifts may be mitigated by new industries or technology. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Auto industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auto-industry/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Closing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closing/) [Closing down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closing-down/) [Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cotton/) [Cotton fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cotton-fields/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fields/) [Going Reopen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-reopen-592391/) [Happening Closing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happening-closing-592389/) [Happenings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happenings/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mexican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexican/) [Michigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michigan/) [Migrant workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/migrant-workers/) [Migrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/migrants/) [More money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-money/) [Reopen Southern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reopen-southern-592390/) [South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south/) [South Happening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-happening-592392/) [Southern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southern/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The stations of uncensored expression are closing down; the lights are going out; but there is still time for those to whom freedom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-stations-of-uncensored-expression-are-closing-down-the-lights-are/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [We find ourselves ethically destitute just when, for the first time, we are faced with ultimacy, the irreversible closing down of the earth's functioning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/we-find-ourselves-ethically-destitute-just-when-for-the-first-time-we/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [Neoliberal violence produced in part through a massive shift in wealth to the upper 1%, growing inequality, the reign of the financial service industries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/neoliberal-violence-produced-in-part-through-a-massive-shift-in/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [But on the contrary Wikileaks is under heavy attack by the government and corporations are participating in that by closing down their websites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/but-on-the-contrary-wikileaks-is-under-heavy-attack-by-the-government/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [A lot of the old movie theaters are closing down now, which is really sad. It's still in the back of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/a-lot-of-the-old-movie-theaters-are-closing-down-now-which-is-really/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [If your everyday practice is open to all your emotions, to all the people you meet, to all the situations you encounter, without closing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-your-everyday-practice-is-open-to-all-your-emotions-to-all-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [In working on any one problem, such as higher minimum wages, so many other issues come into play, such as some businesses possibly closing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/in-working-on-any-one-problem-such-as-higher-minimum-wages-so-many/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Woe to that nation whose literature is disturbed by the intervention of power. Because that is not just a violation against "freedom of print,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/woe-to-that-nation-whose-literature-is-disturbed-by-the-intervention-2/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [But I really resist categories – that naming is a closing down of meaning. Women's art, political art – those categorisations perpetuate a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/but-i-really-resist-categories-that-naming-is-a-closing-down-of/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-run-a-hundred-miles-an-hour-to-the-other-end-of-the-continent/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Sam Phillips always encouraged me to do it my way, to use whatever other influences I wanted, but never to copy...if there hadn't been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/sam-phillips-always-encouraged-me-to-do-it-my-way-to-use-whatever/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [African Americans were responsible for creating a lot of this beautiful and elaborate ironwork; we weren't just working in the cotton fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-freelon/african-americans-were-responsible-for-creating-a-lot-of-this/) [Philip Freelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-freelon/) > [My mother told me to keep on singing, and that kept me working through the cotton fields. She said God has his hand on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/my-mother-told-me-to-keep-on-singing-and-that-kept-me-working-through/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-cotton-fields-back-in-the-good/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [I was influenced a lot by those around me - there was a lot of singing that went on in the cotton fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/i-was-influenced-a-lot-by-those-around-me-there-was-a-lot-of-singing/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) ## More by Bell Hooks > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Most folks believe we are hardwired biologically to long for sex but they do not believe we are hardwired to long for love. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/most-folks-believe-we-are-hardwired-biologically-to-long-for-sex-but/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Couples who rarely or never have sex can know lifelong love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/couples-who-rarely-or-never-have-sex-can-know-lifelong-love/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The power of patriarchy has been to make maleness feared and to make men feel that it is better to be feared that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-power-of-patriarchy-has-been-to-make-maleness-feared-and-to-make/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“I feel enormously blessed to be a successful black woman writer in this culture, but I have found my small fame, such as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-feel-enormously-blessed-to-be-a-successful-black-woman-writer-in/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Language is also a place of struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/language-is-also-a-place-of-struggle/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [In this culture, the phrase 'black woman' is not synonymous with 'tender,' or 'gentle.' It's as if those words couldn't possibly speak to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/in-this-culture-the-phrase-black-woman-is-not-synonymous-with-tender/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It's interesting to look at all the aspects where everyday Americans, many of whom are not college educated, are thinking deeply now about our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/it-s-interesting-to-look-at-all-the-aspects-where-everyday-americans/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The true teacher is within us. A good teacher is someone who can help you to go back and touch the true teacher within,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-true-teacher-is-within-us-a-good-teacher-is-someone-who-can-help/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Advancing the notion that there can be many "feminisms" has served the conservative and liberal political interests of women seeking status and privileged class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/advancing-the-notion-that-there-can-be-many-feminisms-has-served-the/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [I love my family, even as I critique their dysfunctionalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-love-my-family-even-as-i-critique-their-dysfunctionalities/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [You must have courage to love, you have to have a profound will to do what is right to love, and it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/you-must-have-courage-to-love-you-have-to-have-a-profound-will-to-do/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [To truly love we must learn to mix various ingredients - care, affection, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust, as well as honest and open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/to-truly-love-we-must-learn-to-mix-various-ingredients-care-affection/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Often emphasis on identity and lifestyle is appealing because it creates a false sense that one is engaged in praxis. However, praxis within any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/often-emphasis-on-identity-and-lifestyle-is-appealing-because-it/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) [Explore all 541 Bell Hooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## More Auto industry quotes > [ Look at what I am proposing, and we \[wih Bernie Sanders\] have a vigorous agreement here. We both want to reign in the excesses… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/look-at-what-i-am-proposing-and-we-wih-bernie-sanders-have-a-vigorous/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We commend GM for being the first out of the starting gate in the Great Plug-In Car Race of 2007. GM's announcements are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-kramer/we-commend-gm-for-being-the-first-out-of-the-starting-gate-in-the/) [Felix Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-kramer/) > [If horses had controlled investment decisions, there would have been no auto industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/if-horses-had-controlled-investment-decisions-there-would-have-been/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [With autonomous cars, you're gonna see more consolidation. Once we have transport modules, you order off the phone and brands won't matter anymore. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-lutz/with-autonomous-cars-you-re-gonna-see-more-consolidation-once-we-have/) [Bob Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-lutz/) > [I'm convinced we're going to rebuild not only the auto industry, but the economy better and stronger than before. And at its heart is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-convinced-we-re-going-to-rebuild-not-only-the-auto-industry-but/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I do know that all of the Michigan delegation worked very hard as related to the revival of the auto industry. There was really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-upton/i-do-know-that-all-of-the-michigan-delegation-worked-very-hard-as/) [Fred Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-upton/) > [The president mentioned the auto industry and that somehow I would be favor of jobs being elsewhere. Nothing could be further from the truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/the-president-mentioned-the-auto-industry-and-that-somehow-i-would-be/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [If it were up to the candidates for president on the Republican side, we would be driving foreign cars. They would have let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-wasserman-schultz/if-it-were-up-to-the-candidates-for-president-on-the-republican-side/) [Debbie Wasserman Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-wasserman-schultz/) > [I’m a capitalist, not a corporatist. I’m not someone who believes we should be bailing out corporations whether their auto industries, or banks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/i-m-a-capitalist-not-a-corporatist-i-m-not-someone-who-believes-we/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [In the auto industry, there's one thing you can always count on: if a new environmental or safety rule is proposed, executives will prophesy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/in-the-auto-industry-there-s-one-thing-you-can-always-count-on-if-a/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [IT and the entire communications business clearly have the greatest potential for growth. But if you're talking about sheer size, the steel and auto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ratan-tata/it-and-the-entire-communications-business-clearly-have-the-greatest/) [Ratan Tata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ratan-tata/) > [Health care costs blunt the competitive edge of American entrepreneurs, from the auto industry to internet start-ups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/health-care-costs-blunt-the-competitive-edge-of-american/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [The overarching goal of Tesla is to help reduce carbon emissions and that means low cost and high volume. We will also serve as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-overarching-goal-of-tesla-is-to-help-reduce-carbon-emissions-and/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [We hear a lot about rebuilding Detroit, and we just spent $70 billion to bail out the auto industry - well, they need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/we-hear-a-lot-about-rebuilding-detroit-and-we-just-spent-70-billion/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [The auto industry has come roaring back, and housing has begun to rise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-auto-industry-has-come-roaring-back-and-housing-has-begun-to-rise/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 58 Auto industry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auto-industry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I think about the auto-industry and how it was one of the industries that brought all of these black men from the South to Michigan and other places to make more money than they could ever make in the cotton fields or the agricultural world of the South... what's happening now is all of that is closing down, and we know that it's going to reopen in Southern places, focusing on Mexican and other migrant workers to come and work cheaply and get none of the benefits.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bell Hooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and-how-it-was-one-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Auto industry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and-how-it-was-one-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/bell-hooks-464_auto-industry_when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and_2453729.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/bell-hooks-464_auto-industry_when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and_2453729.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/bell-hooks-464_auto-industry_when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and_2453729.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I think about the auto-industry and how it was one of the industries that brought all of these black…” — Bell Hooks", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bell Hooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I think about the auto-industry...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and-how-it-was-one-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and-how-it-was-one-of-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```