TIPP CITY, Ohio – For many Mustang fans and clubs across the globe, the beginning of their car show season starts on National Mustang Day, when owners gather to celebrate the anniversary date of Mustang’s public introduction on April 17, 1964. Indeed, hundreds of Mustang clubs and groups staged events on the weekend of April 12 this year, as National Mustang Day 2025 fell midweek, while other clubs aimed for Saturday, April 19. One look at the National Mustang Day website https://www.nationalmustangday.com/2025-planned-activities.html will show you the myriad of activities that Mustangers had planned to mark the occasion – and that’s just those who had sent in their information.
One of the many National Mustang Day events we like to feature each year includes the annual pilgrimage to the Halderman Museum in rural Ohio, just north of Dayton, located on the homestead of the late Gale Halderman -- the man who was the principal designer of the original Ford Mustang. Here we always find a good number of regional clubs and often a notable guest speaker or two to make the cruise-in extra special, as if this little museum’s cool vibe – being Halderman’s own man cave -- wasn’t enough. This unique Mustang day gathering is organized by Jeff Black of Beechmont Ford in nearby Cincinnati, Ohio. Jeff and several Ohio club principals promote the show to Mustang owners across the region and enlist Ford Performance Club Connect to help them schedule appearances by personalities in the hobby to share some stories that make the Mustang ownership experience such a joy.
After heavy rains soaked mid-Ohio for the week leading up to the event, the large grassy show field behind the Halderman Museum was too soft for car traffic so parking was restricted to the paved areas around the barn museum. While the concern of limited parking may have had kept some from making the trip, a brisk but sunny morning greeted nearly 100 participants at this year’s gathering, with dozens of Mustangs in attendance. With some time to settle in, tour the museum and grab a snack of pop, chips or cookies, first up was a “61 Years of Mustang” presentation by Ford Performance Enthusiast Communications Manager John Clor, who then introduced the day’s very special guest speaker, Emeline King.
Ever since Emeline King had published her inspirational memoir – “What Do You Mean A Black Girl Can’t Design Cars? Emeline King, She Did It!” – we’ve been following the impact that this automotive industry pioneer has been making on the Mustang and Ford hobby. From our launch coverage of her popular softcover (https://emelineking.com) back in 2021 to her many Mustang club guest-speaking and book-signing appearances across the country as well as in her hometown of Detroit, Ms. King has won accolades and appreciation from a wide spectrum of supporters. As an exclamation point on her remarkable journey, Emeline recently became the recipient of a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Gold Medal Award, and Ford Performance.com was there to witness it.
Ms. King was the First African American Female Transportation Designer in the history of Ford Motor Company, and the designer of the 1994 Ford Mustang Interior. She also worked on several other Ford production models, including the 2000 Thunderbird, 1990 Thunderbird Super Coupe, 1990 Mustang Mach III Concept Car, the 1989 Thunderbird, as well as Ford Design’s Wheel and Corporate Steering Wheel programs. A native Detroiter, Emeline is a proud graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena California, Wayne State University in Detroit, and Detroit’s Cass Technical High School. At the age of 11 Emeline was introduced to the exciting world of transportation design by her late father, Rev. Earnest O. King Sr., who was a Fabrication Specialist at the Ford Design Center in Dearborn. His work inspired Emeline to realize her dream of becoming a transportation designer working for Ford, designing cars with her life’s mentor -- her father.
Emeline conquered in 25 years what many take a lifetime to do. Thanks to her quarter-century of experience in the auto industry designing cars both domestically and while serving three foreign service assignments for Ford in Turin, Italy, Essex, England, and Koln, Germany, her insider knowledge makes her a catalyst for connecting America’s youth to exciting, cool careers in transportation and technology. Featured in a variety of news, radio, television and online promotions -- including Motor Trend, Road & Track, Smithsonian, Ebony, Ebony Man, Essence, The Washington Post, and FordPerformance.com – Emeline has been a poster child for careers at Ford Motor Company. Today this former Ford designer is a motivational speaker, songstress, fitness instructor, saxophonist, author, and owner of King Enterprises LLC – and her speaking appearances are downright captivating.
None of that was lost on those who gathered to hear her story at this year’s National Mustang Day event at the Halderman Museum. After her inspiring talk and a delightful Q&A session, which included some questions by fellow author Jimmy Dinsmore – the journalist who had penned Gale Halderman’s story in his “Mustang By Design” hardbound book – Jeff Black and John Clor gave away some prizes during a brief trivia quiz before Emeline hosted a book-signing and autograph session. Clor then took her on a private tour of the Halderman museum to point out some cool Ford memorabilia on display there, much of which was donated by other retired Ford designers.
Halderman was inducted into the Mustang Club of America's Mustang Hall of Fame in 2004, and was presented with an Iacocca Award during the Mustang 50th Celebration in Charlotte, North Carolina. He soon became active in Mustang club events and the Ford enthusiast community. In 2014, Gale and his daughter, Karen, converted the barn on his family’s property in his hometown of Tipp City into the Halderman Museum, which holds a collection of artwork and ads, as well as drawings and memorabilia of all things Ford and Mustang. You’ll also see some of Gale’s original sketches, plus his 2002 Thunderbird, Model T and Model A, and of course Mustangs from each generation in his museum, including Gale’s own 1965 Mustang Fastback and 1966 Mustang Convertible.
Karen and her daughter, Lauren, had decided to keep operating the Halderman Museum after Gale’s passing to keep his legacy alive, as long as the Mustang community supports it through donations (there is no admission charge or rental fee) and via the sale of Halderman Museum merchandise. Tours and visits are by appointment only; if you’re not on social media, you can find info on the museum’s website https://haldermanmustang.com.
We’ve collected some of our favorite photos from the day for our galley below, with thanks to Karen. Lauren and Jeff Black who’ve made National Mustang Day at the Halderman Museum an annual event. If you think YOUR Mustang club would like to schedule a tour, a club meeting or a cruise-in there, get in touch with Karen and Lauren and you can celebrate the Ford Mustang year-round, whether you bring along one or 100 of them. It’s what owning a Mustang is all about.
