Ford Motor Company Fund Announces Major Contribution to National Civil Rights Museum

Memphis, TN – Oct 25, 2007 – Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, announced a major grant to the National Civil Rights Museum during the Museum's annual Freedom Award program in Memphis, Tennessee.

Highlights:
* Ford Motor Company Fund announces $1million grant to National Civil Rights Museum.
* Theater at National Civil Rights Museum to be named "Ford Motor Company Theater"

The one million dollar contribution from Ford Motor Company Fund will support refurbishment of the museum's permanent exhibits, the addition of new interactive and adaptive media technology and increased capability for flexibility in educational programming. In recognition of Ford's contribution, the theater located within the museum will be named in honor of Ford Motor Company.

“Ford champions institutions and initiatives that recognize and honor our collective heritage and legacy. We are proud to support the National Civil Rights Museum, both for its historical significance and also its programs and exhibitions that educate people of all ages and backgrounds." said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.

"We are proud of the partnership we have with Ford Motor Company and for this major contribution to the National Civil Rights Museum," says Beverly Robertson, president, National Civil Rights Museum. "It underscores Ford's ongoing commitment to preserving the legacies of our national heroes and will support the museum's mission to inspire people to act globally in the pursuit of civil and human rights."

Ford Motor Company also supports the National Civil Rights Museum's Freedom Award program and, earlier this year, was the underwriter of "Rosenwald Revisited," a moving and transformational exhibit at the museum that showcased the photography of Ann Smithwick and chronicled the history of two Memphis area schools as part of the Rosenwald School Initiative.

In addition, Ford Motor Company Fund is a major donor to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial to be constructed on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

ABOUT FORD MOTOR COMPANY FUND AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is committed to creating opportunities that promote corporate citizenship, philanthropy, volunteerism and cultural diversity for those who live in the communities where Ford does business. Established in 1949 and made possible by Ford Motor Company profits, Ford Motor Company Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster innovative education, auto-related safety, and American heritage and legacy. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous 21st century learning experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused auto safety initiative. The Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, continues Ford's legacy of caring worldwide. Through the Volunteer Corps, salaried employees, union members, retirees and their families participate in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, visit www.ford.com.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel, the assassination site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., chronicles key episodes of the American civil rights movement and the legacy of this movement to inspire participation in civil and human rights efforts globally, through our collections, exhibitions and educational programs. For more information about the National Civil Rights Museum call (901) 521-9699 or visit the museum's website at civilrightsmuseum.org.

Source: Ford Motor Company

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