I worked for Toyota Motor Corporation for many years. In 2001, Jesse Jackson accused Toyota of running a racist ad. The ad depicted a black man with an image of a gold RAV4 on one tooth. Jackson threatened to lead a national boycott.
I’m not sure that the ad was overtly and intentionally racist. Toyota, after all, wanted to sell cars to African American consumers. But the ad was arguably ill-considered, even in the comparatively calm year of 2001.
Jesse Jackson made out well on the aftermath. Toyota spent millions of dollars with his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The boycott never happened. Toyota sold more cars. Jackson made more money. Everyone was happy, I suppose.
Anyway, after that Jackson was a frequent guest at public Toyota functions. I met him briefly at a supplier event in 2011.
He seemed like a nice enough guy. That’s all I have to say about him, following his death yesterday. I’ll let others write the history on his politics, and his sundry motives.
Jesse Jackson, 84, R.I.P.
-ET