Two American Businessmen Destroy a Japanese-Made Car, 1982

This image captures a 1982 protest event in northern Indiana where two businessmen, Jim Coleman and Charlie Cobb, publicly smashed a Japanese-made car to protest the influx of Japanese imports and the resulting economic hardship for American auto workers.

The event was a charity fundraiser sponsored by local steelworkers’ union leaders. For a dollar per swing, attendees could take a turn hitting the car with a sledgehammer. The money raised was then used to help the families of laid-off workers in the economically hard-hit steelmaking region. The signs for “Radio Shack” and “Hoosier State Bank” visible in the background indicate the local setting where the event took place.