The exodus of textile mills from the American South to South American and Asia left a huge hole in the Southern economy. Automakers like BMW, Mercedes, and Honda are moving to fill this void with plants across the South. These plants offer high paying jobs and steady employment in a generally depressed region, making competition for positions fierce. The new employers say they are committed to diversity and many minority groups have found employment in the developing industry.
See "The South's New-Car Smell", Sue Anne Pressley, The Washington Post, May 10, 2001