September 16, 2025: General Motors Day

WHEREAS, on September 16, 1908, William C. “Billy” Durant, who had already established the Durant-Dort Carriage Company in Flint as the largest vehicle manufacturer in the United States, incorporated a new holding company in Michigan called General Motors (GM), beginning with the Buick and Oldsmobile brands; and,

WHEREAS, from its origins in Flint, General Motors has maintained deep and enduring roots in the state of Michigan, with Factory One, the Milford Proving Ground, and its main hubs in Detroit, Lansing, and Pontiac serving as centers of innovation and production for more than a century; and,

WHEREAS, General Motors has been at the forefront of automotive engineering and safety, pioneering milestone innovations in Michigan, including the electric self-starter in 1912, the industry’s first dedicated proving ground in Milford in 1924, the first vehicle rollover tests in 1934, the “infant love seat” in 1969, the first cars to run on unleaded gasoline in 1977, developed crash test dummies, declared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 1997 as the official standard for frontal impact testing in 1997, and the world’s first hands-free driver assistance technology, Super Cruise, in 2018; and,

WHEREAS, during World War II, General Motors converted several Michigan plants to produce an “avalanche of weapons,” with the Milford Proving Ground testing U.S. Army tanks and its Lansing-based Oldsmobile division manufacturing millions of rounds of ammunition and thousands of aircraft machine guns; and,

WHEREAS, General Motors continues to be a vital pillar of Michigan’s economy, operating 38 major facilities, employing approximately 50,000 people – the state’s second largest employer, and accounting for an estimated 247,000 direct and indirect jobs throughout the state; and,

WHEREAS, the company’s commitment to the United States and Michigan is demonstrated through significant investment, including over $60 billion in the U.S. in the last five years and $2 billion in its Lansing operations over the last decade, supporting its network of over 10,000 suppliers and 4,000 dealerships nationwide, as well as contributions of over $150 million in philanthropic giving to community initiatives throughout Michigan over the last 10 years;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 16, 2025, as General Motors Day in Michigan to commemorate the 117th anniversary of the founding of GM on September 16, 1908, recognizing its profound and lasting contributions to the automotive industry, the economic prosperity of the state of Michigan and the United States, and its continuing legacy of innovation.