McKinley Thompson Jr.—Ford’s First African American Designer

The Ford Bronco is the product of legendary talent, from the teams who won the Baja 1000 to the collectors who restore them today. But there’s one legend in the story of the Bronco who not only helped create the first Ford 4×4 sports-utility vehicle design, but also made history, becoming one of the first African American designers in the industry.

McKinley Thompson Jr., a Ford designer who helped pen the first-generation Bronco, was the first African American designer hired at Ford Motor Company after graduating from the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California with a degree in transportation design in 1956.