The travesty of what the Firestone Rubber Company did to Africa cannot be understated and this book does a great job of capturing the role the company had in Liberia. While the Liberians sought to improve their country this book serves as a warning to those that welcome corporations into their country without oversight.

I thoroughly both enjoyed and was surprised by the depth of scholarship in this book. I would consider it a revisionist history of activities surrounding the involvement of the US government in supporting efforts of some American privately owed industries, particularly the rubber industry, in exploiting under developed countries in the guise of "uplifting" them. While I was aware of Liberia in terms of race relations and the "Back to Africa" movement of the early 20th C, I was not familiar with the role of the Firestone Corp. Also illuminated the race for developing the rubber tire industry globally and Firestone's zeal to break the British monopoly on rubber growing in the tropics. Firestone's recreation of the "plantation system" and its Jim Crow policies in Liberia and the US government's support of the company's efforts was an eye opener. Engagingly written. and very well documented.

America needed rubber. All those cars needing tires, and so many other ways rubber was called for - but where to get it? Lucky for us (?) we had some old time business models that the Firestone Company could put into use across the pond. Migration by freed slaves who wanted to return to Africa, had help from various groups, including white folks who wanted to make sure they had their own place, separate and apart began in 1820, and so by the time Firestone turned their eyes to that new West African country, it was almost 100 years old.

Mount Barclay plantation was found. Healthy rubber trees present, and just the crop needed to revitalize a flagging economy. People needed work. Businessmen who needed a place to spread out. In 1924, Firestone took over the plantation. Liberia had to choose, among France, Portugal, Britain and America - which was the devil they'd make a deal with. . . .Firestone (America) won.

This is a book more about Liberia than rubber, and maybe even more about the imperialistic patterns that run deep in America's charity and altruism that is anything but. Truly this book pulls back the drapes of big business, and shows its ruthlessness in wiping out whole communities and peoples. It depicts the harm that capitalism, and persistent persecution by industries that close themselves in order to preserve practices that benefit them, but which were controversial as they also destroyed natural resources and other valued community aspects.

This author is impressive. Empire of Rubber is thoroughly researched and documented with the reference sources used as 25% of the book. Other books he's written: Breathing Space; Reel Nature; The State of Nature: Ecology, Community, and American Social, among many others.

A Sincere Thanks to Gregg Mitman, The New Press and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.
#EmpireofRubber #NetGalley

My review of Empire of Rubber appeared on Ricochet.com at https://ricochet.com/1083710/rubber-in-liberia/, scanalyst.com (https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/this-week-s-book-review-empire-of-rubber/245/8), and Lobsterforest.com (https://lobsterforest.com/this-weeks-book-review-empire-of-rubber/)

A brilliantly researched and breathtakingly narrated book, 'Empire of Rubber" lays bare the sophisticated yet pernicious colonialism practiced by the former internationally renowned tire company, Firestone. In the year 1926, the Liberian Government granted a concession for upto a million acres of land to Harvey Firestone Sr. The territory on which Firestone Sr planned to erect the world's largest contiguous rubber plantation also happened to be the one which the indigenous Bassa tribe called home. Eviscerating the land with nary a concern for the etymological- ontological relationship which the natives nurtured with their land, the coloniser ruled supreme. Banking on the support of former Presidents Howard Taft and Herbert Hoover, Firstone Rubber and Tire Co held an entire nation to ransom. Practising discriminatory employment practices such as racial segregation, Firestone heaped misery amongst the coloured employees and citizens of Liberia.

Gregg Mitman's book is an eye opener and a must read!

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The subtitle of this book is “Firestone’s Scramble for Land and Power in Liberia”. It is published by The New Press, a non-profit, public-interest group. The author is also a filmmaker and released “The Land Beneath Our Feet” in 2016, covering the same topic.

This is a fascinating, well written book. It is much more than the story of Akron, Ohio-headquartered Firestone (owned since 1988 by the Tokyo-based Bridgestone Corporation) and the rubber plantation and industry it established in Liberia, a never-colonised, self-determined nation in West Africa.

It is also the story of Liberia and how this unique nation evolved. Liberia was a destination for so-called ‘settlers’. Freed slaves returning from the US as well as those destined for the US and intercepted in the Atlantic. Also others who were seeking to live in a Black-governed, sovereign African nation. Although never a colony, Liberia since the end of slavery has had a benevolent, pseudo-colonial relationship with the US. The book documents the competing population groups, US, Liberian and other international personalities, institutions and countries involved in this nation during the 19th and 20th century.

Furthermore it is the story of the growth of a global resource industry at the beginning of the 20th century, when rubber was only available as a natural substance, from tropical plantations, largely outside the US and under foreign ownership and control. During this time, rubber was becoming crucial to industrial progress, including the growing auto-industry.

The book covers the rise of the US rubber industry including the search for suitable land and climate for the development of large-scale rubber plantations. Also important was an amenable foreign government and proximity to the US. The dominant figure is Harvey Firestone, founder of the Firestone rubber company, friend to powerful political leaders and others powerful individuals including Henry Ford and Thomas Edison.

Liberia came to be identified as a suitable place for Harvey Firestone to investigate a large-scale rubber plantation development. Land, labour, climate and government were all suitable for his vision. Global events, including world wars and colonial or post-colonial issues are the background to Firestone developing one of the largest rubber plantations in the world. This book documents that history and the many inter-related and complex issues involved. Foremost are several major themes, generally presented by the author in an even, well balance style. These themes include Capitalism, Foreign Investment, Neo-Colonialism, Sovereignty, National Debt, Foreign Settlers, Indigenous Rights, Traditional Land Ownership, Racism and Labour Rights. Over decades, these are recurring issues for the Firestone company; perhaps not exactly solved but a rapprochement between stakeholders eventually allows Harvey Firestone’s vision to be accomplished in Liberia. He then retires from the company with the author noting “…he had never visited the country and never would…”. His son, Harvey Jr continues and consolidates Firestones development and influence in Liberia into the second half of the 20th century.

The influence of US views and attitudes is dominant and well presented. Personalities representing US industry, politics, economics and academia are deeply involved in the history of Liberia and throughout Firestone’s development there. Civil Rights leaders play a significant role, with contrasting and sometimes changing views on how best to help this unique African country. An independent state, albeit with close historical, political and cultural ties to the US.

The book begins with the story of Liberia’s creation as an independent state. It’s fortunes our the years, good and otherwise, and it’s relationship with the USA. The major part of the book is dominated with the story of Harvey Firestone, his company in Liberia from the early 20th century, until Firestone’s son, Harvey Jr, retires from the company in the late 1960s. An Epilogue continues the Firestone Liberia story up to the present day, including issues relating to the post-Cold War period, lengthy periods of conflicts and Civil War during the latter part of the 20th Century. At the beginning of the 21st Century, Liberia now enjoys relative stability, peace, certain Land Rights and some economic diversity.

Questions posed in the book are related to Firestones relationships with the Liberian Government and people. The Firestone Liberia development could be seen as an extension of slavery-era US plantations along with the inequalities, racism and other negatives consequences. Arguments for and against the benefits of foreign capitalism in a neo-colonial environment are made by protagonists from all sides of this debate. The book explores Liberia experience from the end of slavery in the US and the US Civil War through two World Wars, a Depression, African Independence, Pan-African awakening, the threat of Communism, the Cold War, Civil War and finally a period of stability as the 20th Century ends. The author concludes that Harvey Firestone’s vision was “immensely beneficial to Firestone. The Benefits to Liberia are far less clear”.

Not explored in this book, but briefly alluded to with the mention of the new $50 million airport (“…financed by China’s Export-Import Bank.”) the influence, indeed dominance of foreign powers in Liberia may be continuing, as will arguments from various viewpoints as to what are the ultimate benefits to the Liberian people. This is a country I will continue to take an interest in for some time to come.

This is a fascinating book; the reader will learn a lot. The history of Liberia, the science of rubber plantations, the economics & politics of a major resource business in a developing nation. In the words of the author, how one dominant company “…reordered relationships of life and land in Liberia.” In parallel is the story of the influence of the US Government in Liberia, plus that of the US Military, Civil Rights movement, University Academics and Public Opinion. British and European government play a role as do the UN and during earlier times, the League of Nations.

Some of the things I liked about the book are the clear writing, its look at broader issues, and the photos. But, while the subject matter is vitally important, its treatment in this book did not appeal to me. The book came across to me as a pedantic collection of dates, names and places, that became jumbled together. I wanted to love the book, but it didn’t work for me and I stopped reading at just over halfway through the book. Thank you to Netgalley and The New Press for the advance reader copy.

This is a big reveal, whistleblower biography of the purported 'advancement' of the country of Liberia. Under cover of economic advancement and humanitarian deeds (snort!) to benefit the people of Liberia, the US based Firestone Tire and Rubber Company reigned, or thought they did. Essentially, they lined and padded their own coffer pockets with great machinations and attempted manipulations, using trusted Firestone employees and cronies (often from high echelons of US government), to wield much power; attempting to mentally and politically armwrestle, outwit and hoodwink the Liberians.

It was a huge power play but the Liberian Presidents pushed back - almost like a chess match between professional status players. It would have been amusing if it was not reality. Kuddos to the Liberrians, especially to Prsident Barclay, an intelligent, astute politicaian who knew how to thwart, and to be a thorn-in-the-side of, the Firestones. The Empire of Rubber, although somewhat rooted and maintained for many decades, in the end, had only a tenuous hold and did not take over Liberia by the covert ways and means it had wished.

Historians and history lovers will love this book, which is chock-full of detail and methodically written dates and timelines. There are black and white pictures interspersed among the pages, documenting the years and key players, which supplement the factual historical narrative.

Additional information such as Acknowledgements, Notes, About the Author Gregg Mitman and an Index, follow the main comprehensive work of Mitman, who seems to have done his research homework well. What a mammoth task to which he was obviously equal!

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

September 2021

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy given by the publisher.

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For anyone that doesn't believe the United States doesn't have an empire or colonies, this book illustrates the unique corporate-imperial format of how it exploits countries without technically ruling them.

Thank you to NetGalley and The New Press for the opportunity to read Empire of Rubber by Gregg Mitman so that I may provide an honest review.

Gregg Mitman's extensive research of the complicated subject of the Firestone Company's involvement in Liberia results in a compelling work of narrative nonfiction. Having grown up in North central Ohio where the Firestone family name was revered, their grand house toured, the golf tournament named for the company attended, I found this a particularly enlightening look at the cruel human and environmental exploitation that was the foundation of their fortunes. I recommend King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild, which I read earlier this year, as a companion book to Empire of Rubber. This is not an easy read, but nonetheless an important one.

Comic Maria Bamford, in a funny reference to the Monroe Doctrine, said about a neighbor's property, "It feels like it's mine." Reading Gregg Mitman's new book "Empire of Rubber," one gets the sense that the Firestone Company feel that very same way about Liberia. This is a compelling look at a fairly unknown bit of American history. It's a story of profiteering, racism, and misguided nation-building cloaked in America's vision of the world in the early to mid-20th century. It's a well-researched history that makes for a fascinating read. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to get an early read of the book, too. #NetGalley

NB: free copy received for honest review

An intriguing account of the economic and political motivations behind the Firestone Company's investment in Liberia, the sometimes problematic and underhanded methods the company used to secure said investment and to bring pressure onto the Liberian government, and the almost invariably problematic ways it treated the local workers. Not always an easy read, but definitely an interesting one.

Empire of Rubber- Firestone’s Struggle for Land and Power in Liberia by Gregg Mitman - 2021

A perfect pairing for this marvelous book would be Fordlandia: Henry Ford’s Forgotten Jungle City by Greg Grandin .2009

Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone were friends and each needed the other
In January of last year I read a fascinating book about a very rich American industrialist, Henry Ford, trying to find a way to supply his business with Rubber by finding a way to produce it in the third world.

1928 - established Fordlandia on 14,268 square Kilometers in N. E. Brazil- the purpose was to produce rubber. The project was abandoned in 1934.

1900 - Henry Firestone established the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.


In 1926 Firestone began operating a million Plus rubber factory in Liberia, a huge enterprise meant to supply The Ford Motor company with tires.

Mitman begins his book with a very interesting account of how Liberia came into existence as a country meant to be a home for freed American slaves. In esrly 19th century many White Americans wanted slaves freeed but felt even if freed in the USA they would Face discrimination. Of course few had any Cultural roots left there, between 1822 and The stsrt of The American Civil war in 1961 about 15,000 ex-slaves and free born persons of color were transported to Liberia. The area had an American identity, its capital Moravia was named after James Monroe.



The Liberian constitution and flag were modeled after those of the U.S., Liberia declared independence on July 26, 1847, which The USA recogized in 1862. On January 3, 1848, Ja wealthy, free-born African American from Virginia settled in Liberia, was elected Liberia's first president after the people proclaimed independence.

In early 1920s Firestone sent out experts to Scout the World for a place to grow the huge amount of rubber the American automobile industry, especially Ford, needed. He settled on Liberia.

We learn of the shameful racism of the Firestone compsny. They hired very few African Americans and they got only the lowest worst paid jobs.in Liberia he gave all the management jobs to American whites. In Liberia descendents of freed men who immigrated totally ran the country even though natives far out numbered them. Mitman goes into substantial detail about the Internal politics of Liberia.

There is much to be learned from Empire of Rubber- Firestone’s Struggle for Land and Power in Liberia by Gregg Mitman - 2021.

This is very high quality narrative non-fiction

There is bio data and info on other work

https://gmitman.com/about/

Mel u
The ReadIng Life