Throughout American history, African Americans have faced oppression, discrimination, and persecution, yet they have made significant contributions to innovation and invention. This article highlights some of the most notable African American inventors and their groundbreaking creations that have impacted various aspects of our lives.
Early Pioneers
George Washington Carver (1864-1943)
So many of us know George Washington Carver as the man famous for giving us peanut butter (bless him), but he’s responsible for much more. As an agricultural chemist, in an effort to increase the profitability of sweet potatoes and peanuts (which thrived in the South as opposed to dwindling cotton supply), Carver began conducting experiments in 1896 and created 518 new products from the crops. They include ink, dye, soap, cosmetics, flour, vinegar, and synthetic rubber. He publicly revealed his experiments in 1914.
Among the earliest was George Washington Carver, whose reputation was based on his research into and promotion of alternative crops to cotton, which aided in nutrition for farm families. He wanted poor farmers to grow alternative crops both as a source of their own food and as a source of other products to improve their way of life. The most popular of his 44 practical bulletins for farmers contained 105 food recipes using peanuts. He also developed and promoted about 100 products made from peanuts that were useful for the house and farm.
Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919)
Madam C.J. Walker was the first African American woman to become a self-made millionaire after creating a line of hair products geared toward Black hair. (She created the first, Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower, in 1905.) A Netflix series based upon her life, Self Made, premiered in March 2020.
Innovations That Saved Lives
Garrett Morgan (1877-1963)
Garrett Morgan: The Genius Inventor Who Changed the World
It’s safe to say that Garrett Morgan’s most prominent original designs have saved thousands of lives since their invention. Take his traffic signal, which he patented in 1922. It was the first to offer a third “caution” signal, which we now know as the yellow light. And in 1912, Morgan received a patent for his “Breathing Device,” which was one of the earliest versions of a gas mask.
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He invented an early version of a gas mask called a smoke hood, and created the first traffic light that included a third "warning" position which is standard today.
Alexander Miles (1838-1918)
Another innovation that contributed to saving lives was Alexander Miles’s elevator design. Before him, elevators were operated manually; people had to physically open and close the doors of both the elevator and the shaft every time. Miles realized the constant hazard this posed when riding on an elevator with the shaft door open with his daughter. In 1887, he obtained the patent for his invention, including a flexible belt attached to the elevator cage, allowing the doors to function automatically. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.
Frederick McKinley Jones (1893-1961)
Anytime you see a truck on the highway transporting refrigerated or frozen food, you're seeing the work of Frederick McKinley Jones. Frederick McKinley Jones left his mark with the development of refrigeration equipment, receiving over 40 patents for it. In the 1930s, he began inventing automatic refrigerated air-cooling units for trucks, trains, ships, and planes, which helped the preservation of food. His creation, the Thermo King, allowed people to eat fresh food year-round. His work also contributed to the preservation of blood and medicine, proving to be particularly useful during WWII. In 1991, he became the first African American to receive the National Medal of Technology.
Dr. Charles Richard Drew
It's impossible to determine how many hundreds of thousands of people would have lost their lives without the contributions of African-American inventor Dr. Charles Drew.
Dr. Patricia E. Bath (1942-2019)
Bath was a prolific ophthalmologist, research scientist, and laser scientist who studied both domestically and globally, and is known for her significant contributions to the medical field-including fighting against blindness. We also have her to thank for a new area of focus called "community opthalmology," which helps provide marginalized groups around the world with the eye care they need.
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In 1974, Bath became the first female ophthalmologist on staff at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine Jules Stein Eye Institute. She also made national history in 1983, when she became the first female chair of an ophthalmology residency program.
She was also an inventor: "I am most proud of my invention of a new technique and concept for cataract surgery, known as laserphaco, which is defined by my publications as well as patents," she told The National Library of Medicine.
Other Notable Inventions and Discoveries
George Crum (1824-1914)
Crum, a chef and restaurateur, is said to have unintentionally created the potato chip during the summer of 1853. They were made in response to a customer who sent back their fried potatoes after complaining they were too thick. The crisps were an instant hit, and though Crum never patented the creations, chips are arguably now one of the world’s favorite snacks.
Granville T. Woods (1856-1910)
Woods accumulated almost 60 patents during his lifetime, many of which improved the functioning of railroads. One of his most notable was the induction telegraph system, which allowed traveling trains to communicate with one another while also allowing workers to locate them.
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner (1912-2006)
Though she filed a total of five patents, Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner is thought to be one of the most “forgotten” Black inventors, despite her contributions to society. She patented the sanitary belt in 1957, which was adjustable and had a moisture-proof napkin pocket in a time where women were still using cloth pads for their periods. She also created a serving tray that could be attached to a walking frame, a toilet tissue holder, and back washer that could be mounted on the wall of the shower.
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Marie Van Brittan Brown (1922-1999)
Brown filed a patent in 1966 for the first-ever home security system after wanting to increase her own house’s security in her Queens, New York, neighborhood. Her original design contained a camera, a two-way microphone, peepholes, and monitors, all serving as the foundations for today’s modern systems.
Shirley Jackson (born 1946)
Jackson, the first African American woman to earn a doctorate at MIT, is responsible for monumental telecommunications research that led to the invention of products such as the touch-tone phone, portable fax, fiber optic cables, and caller ID. In 2014, President Barack Obama named her the co-chair of the President’s Intelligence Advisory.
Mark Dean (born 1957)
As a child, Mark Dean excelled in math. In elementary school, he took advanced level math courses and, in high school, Dean even built his own computer, radio, and amplifier. Dean continued his interests and went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee, a masters degree in electrical engineering from Florida Atlantic University and a Ph.D.
Lonnie Johnson (born 1949)
The engineer developed this mega water gun in his free time while working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. And once the toy, dubbed the Super Soaker, hit shelves in 1990, its popularity skyrocketed. In 2017, Forbes reported that it had earned over $1 billion in retail sales.
A contemporary example of a modern-day inventor is Lonnie George Johnson, an engineer. Johnson invented the Super Soaker water gun, which was the top-selling toy in the United States from 1991 to 1992. In 1980 Johnson formed his own law firm and licensed the Super Soaker water gun to Larami Corporation. Two years later, the Super Soaker generated over $200 million in retail sales and became the best selling toy in North America. Larami Corporation was eventually purchased by Hasbro, the second largest toy manufacturer in the world. Over the years, Super Soaker sales have totaled close to one billion dollars.
An anonymous source said of the Super Soaker®: "I got fired from a job once because of my Super Soaker.
| Inventor | Invention |
|---|---|
| George Washington Carver | Alternative crops and products from peanuts and sweet potatoes |
| Madam C.J. Walker | Hair care products for Black hair |
| Garrett Morgan | Traffic signal with a third "caution" light, breathing device (gas mask) |
| Frederick McKinley Jones | Automatic refrigeration equipment for trucks, trains, ships, and planes |
| Lonnie Johnson | Super Soaker water gun |
| Alexander Miles | Automatic elevator doors |
| Marie Van Brittan Brown | Home security system |
| Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner | Sanitary belt |
