As we celebrate Black History Month in February, it's an opportune time to recognize the often-unacknowledged contributions of African American inventors. These individuals, past and present, have significantly improved our world through their ingenuity in science, technology, business, and medicine.
Their inventions, innovations, financial resources, materials, muscle, and labor-saving devices have been crucial to the progress of civilizations. Let's explore the remarkable accomplishments of some of these trailblazers.
100 Things You Didn't Know Were Invented by Black People (Episode 1)
Pioneering Inventors and Their Groundbreaking Inventions
Here are a few snapshots to illustrate some of the many impressive accomplishments:
Garrett Morgan invented a life-saving device, mechanical traffic signals, and more.
Garrett Morgan (1877-1963)
Garrett Morgan was a prolific Black inventor whose early patent for an improved sewing machine design provided financial security for him and his family. The Kentucky native was also concerned about the welfare of others. His “safety hood,” patented in 1914, was a breathing device that filtered out harmful elements and became the prototype for the World War I-era gas mask. He also created a more sophisticated traffic signal by adding a warning light, similar to what we use on streets today.
Read also: Uses of black seed oil explained
Frederick McKinley Jones (1893-1961)
Frederick McKinley Jones invented automatic refrigeration equipment used in long-haul trucks.
Before Frederick McKinley Jones developed the automatic refrigeration equipment used in long-haul trucks that transport perishables in the late 1940s, the only way to keep food cold en route to delivery destinations was by using ice. Thanks to his invention, grocery stores were able to buy and sell products (many of which you probably purchase regularly) from far distances without the risk of them spoiling during transport. Jones’ technology was also used to transport blood during World War II.
Frederick M. Jones patented more than 60 inventions in his lifetime. While more than 40 of those patents were in the field of refrigeration, Jones is most famous for inventing an automatic refrigeration system for long haul trucks and railroad cars. He co-founded Thermo King.
Dr. Charles Richard Drew
Dr. Charles Drew developed ways to process and store blood plasma in "blood banks."
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.
Read also: Black Market in Ethiopia
Charles Drew was a physician who developed ways to process and store blood plasma in "blood banks." He directed the blood plasma programs of the United States and Great Britain in World War II, but resigned after a ruling that the blood of African Americans would be segregated.
Sarah Boone (1832-1904)
Sarah Boone was a dressmaker who made her name by inventing the modern-day ironing board.
Sarah Boone was a dressmaker who made her name by inventing the modern-day ironing board. With its approval in 1892, Boone became one of the first Black women to be awarded a patent.
In 1892, Sarah Boone patented a design improvement to Elijah McCoy’s ironing board. The North Carolina native wrote in her application that the purpose of her invention was “to produce a cheap, simple, convenient, and highly effective device, particularly adapted to be used in ironing the sleeves and bodies of ladies’ garments.”
Thomas L. Jennings
Patent recipient, Thomas L. Jennings was working as a tailor and businessman in New York City when he invented a process for dry-cleaning delicate clothing known as “dry-scouring.” Jennings applied for a patent in 1820 and received his history-making approval the following year.
Read also: African Physical Characteristics: A Closer Look
With the money he earned from his invention, the formerly enslaved person donated to abolitionist causes and even reportedly freed his still-enslaved family members.
Alexander Miles (1838-1918)
Anyone who’s ridden modern elevators has Alexander Miles to thank for the stair alternative’s automatic doors. Prior to his design’s 1867 patent, riders had to manually open and close two sets of doors when entering and exiting elevator cars.
If a passenger happened to forget to close one of the doors, subsequent elevator riders risked a potentially fatal fall down the elevator shaft. Because, as the adage goes, necessity is the mother of invention, Miles created a mechanism that forced both elevator doors to close simultaneously, thus preventing dangerous accidents.
Elijah McCoy (1844-1929)
Of the 57 patents Elijah McCoy-reportedly the namesake for the popular, complimentary phrase “the real McCoy”-received over his lifetime, the portable ironing board might be one of the most timeless. As the story goes, having to iron on uneven surfaces frustrated his wife, Mary Eleanor Delaney, and so he created the ironing board to make her life a little easier. McCoy received the patent for this particular creation in May 1874. He is also the man behind another major invention beloved by homeowners: the lawn sprinkler.
Alice H. Parker (1895-death unknown)
The central heating furnace design that Alice H. Parker patented in December 1919 made use of natural gas for the first time to keep homes warm and toasty. Inspiring her innovation: the limited efficiency of fireplaces (along with the smoke and ash they produce) during the cold winters at her Morristown, New Jersey, house. Many modern homes still employ a similar forced air heating system for which her idea was a precursor.
Marie Van Brittan Brown (1922-1999)
Another New York City resident, Marie Van Brittan Brown created an early version of the modern home security system. Feeling unsafe due to her neighborhood’s high crime rate, the full-time nurse rigged a motorized camera to record her home entryway and project images onto a TV monitor.
Also included in her setup was a two-way microphone in order to communicate with visitors without opening the door, as well as a panic button to notify police of any potential emergency in progress. After filing to patent the closed circuit TV security system in 1966, Brown received her approval in December 1969.
Dr. Patricia Bath (1942-2019)
A true visionary, Patricia Bath became the first Black female doctor to receive a medical patent when she invented a laser cataract treatment device called a Laserphaco Probe in 1986. It was one of several firsts the ophthalmologist achieved. The co-founder of the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness patented her invention in 1988. Now used around the world, Bath’s device has improved sight for millions of people.
Mark Dean (1957-present)
Mark Dean is one of the top engineering minds at the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation.
We have Mark Dean to thank for several computer innovations that we might take for granted today. The color PC monitor (that you might be using right now) is just one of them. With more than 20 patents to his name, Dean also led the IBM team that created the first gigahertz chip, a groundbreaking innovation that can handle a billion calculations per second, and co-created a system to allow peripheral devices like monitors and printers to plug directly into computers.
He made his first mark in the industry in the early 1980s, when he and a colleague developed a system that allowed computers to communicate with printers and other devices. Every time you print something, you can thank Dean.
In all, Dean holds 20 patents, and was honored as one of the "50 Most Important African Americans in Technology" by the California African-American Museum in 2000. Dean wants to help increase awareness of the contributions of Black engineers to both the engineering industry and the African-American community.
Other Notable Inventors
- Andrew Jackson Beard: Invented the Automatic Railroad Car Coupler, commonly referred to as the "Jenny" coupler.
- Sarah Breedlove Walker (Madam C. J. Walker): Developed and sold Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower, becoming “the first black woman millionaire in America” for her successful line of hair care products.
- Granville T. Woods: Nicknamed "The Black Edison," made key contributions to the development of the telephone, railway cars, streetcar and more.
- George Washington Carver: Developed hundreds of products using peanuts, sweet potatoes and soybeans.
- Lonnie G. Johnson: Invented the Super Soaker® water gun.
Scientists and Their Contributions
- George Alcorn: Has an impressive resume with degrees in physics and atomic and molecular physics.
- Otis Boykin: His components are used in computers, radios, and TV sets.
- Kenneth J. Dunkley: Inventor from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
- Philip Emeagwali: Called the "Bill Gates of Africa."
- Betty Harris: Chemist with an interest in chemistry from a young age.
- Shirley Jackson: Theoretical physicist credited with making many advances in science.
- Valerie Thomas: Scientist and inventor who worked with NASA. In 1980, she received a patent for her illusion transmitter.
- John Henry Thompson: Interested in computer programming languages.
- James E. West: Ninety percent of microphones used today are based on his ingenuity.
- Dorothy Johnson Vaughan: Known as a “human computer,” was part of a team that did mathematical calculations to help launch satellites.
- Mae C. Jemison: The United States' first female African-American space traveler.
- Percy L. Julian: Developed innovative drugs and industrial chemicals from natural soya products.
- George Carruthers: Led the team who invented the ultraviolet camera (spectrograph), which was used by NASA in the 1972 Apollo 16 flight.
The Importance of Recognizing Black Inventors
The accomplishments of these inventors and scientists demonstrate the significant impact of African Americans on our society. During Black History Month, it is essential to acknowledge their contributions and inspire future generations of innovators.
Without inventions, innovations, financial resources, materials, muscle and labor saving devices, civilizations cannot exist and flourish. This book documents a number of inventions, patents and labor saving devices conceived by Black inventors. Among many other inventions, pre-enslaved Africans, developed agricultural tools, building materials, medicinal herbs, cloth and weapons.
