CS Mott: A Giant in Automotive History Part 1

CS Mott was giant in automotive history.

Mott was also founder of one of the world's largest charitable foundations.

Author Ed Renahan discusses the remarkable life of Charles Stewart Mott. "The Life of Charles Stewart Mott" is a fascinating and comprehensive look at the life of one of the world's most successful capitalists.

The podcast interview also covers Mr. Mott's career, family life, travels, hobbies, and devotion to the Flint community and philanthropy.

CS Mott is credited with founding the community school program concept. His foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, funded Community School research and provided operating funds for the programs across the United States and the world. Mott's work with community schools created a network between neighborhoods, parents, and the local schools.

CS Mott is a legendary figure in General Motors and automotive history. He merged his Mott Weston Axle Company with Buick in the early 1900s. He was instrumental in the rise and development of Buick and is a towering figure in the the automotive industry. Few people have impacted the General Motors history in the way CS Mott did with his focus on manufacturing processes and technology.

The Legacy of CS Mott: Rust Belt Revival

The automobile industry has significantly declined since the 1970s. As a result, blue-collar Flint, Michigan, suffered the effects of deindustrialization and disinvestment., The CS Mott Foundation plays a significant role in orchestrating the rust belt revival of Flint and other factory towns in Michigan. It is impossible to overstate the impact CS Mott and his Mott Foundation had on helping working-class Flint, Michigan, survive. It can also be said that the contributions of CS Mott to General Motors as an officer and investor helped General Motors thrive in automotive manufacturing.

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The book The Life of Charles Stewart Mott, published by University of Michigan Press, 2019, is available at local bookstores in Flint, Michigan, and major book retailers.

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Ed Renahan's critically-acclaimed books published under his name include Deliberate Evil: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Daniel Webster, and the 1830 Murder of a Salem Slave Trader (Chicago Review Press, 2022),  Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons (Basic Books, 2006), The Kennedys at War (Doubleday, 2001), The Lion's Pride (Oxford University Press, 1998), John Burroughs: An American Naturalist (Black Dome Press, 1992), and The Secret Six (Crown, 1994). He has appeared on PBS's The American Experience, NPR, and C-Span's BookTV and has written for publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The San Francisco Chronicle.

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Colton Ort, singer-songwriter, performs his song "The Flint River Blues" in this episode. We use the song with his permission.

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