Posted on 02/25/2021 5:08:36 AM PST by Kaslin
Each year, Black History Month allows us to reflect on so many great Black Americans who’ve contributed to the success of our nation. We reflect on the contributions of many well-known and not so well-known Black Americans. As we come to the end of another Black History Month, it's critical that we draw more attention to one group that has not gotten nearly enough attention – the Black inventor.
Thousands of African American inventors have transformed America. Black inventors have created groundbreaking products for centuries ranging from Lewis Lattimer, who helped construct a commercially viable lightbulb, to Marshall Jones, who pioneered laser use in industrial manufacturing.
Many of these innovative geniuses are unknown today, and it is critical to educate the public about the invaluable contributions of Black inventors.
I’ve written a great deal in recent years about America’s role as the innovation leader of the world – largely because we created a system that defined ideas and invention as the intellectual property of those who created them. Our Founding Fathers enshrined patent protections in the Constitution because they valued innovation and believed individuals should be able to reap the fruits of their labor.
For much of our early history, Black Americans were prevented from taking part in the patent system in the face of slavery and second-class citizenship. Slaves were prevented from obtaining patents and many slave owners and others stole the inventions of worthy Black inventors.
Nevertheless, brave inventors continued to persevere and our groundbreaking patent system provided an opportunity for Black inventors as our nation moved forward.
In 1820, Thomas Jennings became the first African American to obtain a patent – at a time when many blacks were still enslaved in the South. Jennings patented his "dry-scouring" technique that served as a precursor to later dry-cleaning methods. Jennings used the profits from his invention to fund the local abolitionist movement and to fight for civil rights.
After Jennings' death, Frederick Douglass discussed his impact, arguing the United States Patent Office needed to recognized Jennings as a "citizen of the United States." In 1868, Martha Jones became the first black woman to obtain a U.S. patent for her “Improvement to the Corn Husker, Sheller.”
Similar stories of Black inventors triumphing over seemingly insurmountable odds have occurred throughout American history. Elijah McCoy was the child of escaped slaves who grew up in poverty before patenting a lubricant allowing train engines to run continuously. McCoy didn't rest on his laurels but instead filed 56 other patents over his lifetime and even started his own company.
His reputation quickly spread, and when engineers were searching for top-end equipment, they would say they wanted "the real McCoy" because McCoy's products were the best.
Without a patent system, it is unlikely McCoy would have been acknowledged by society for his achievements. Garrett Morgan, another Black Inventor, invented the gas mask and obtained a wide range of patents for inventions as different as haircare products and a traffic light.
Morgan used his gas mask to save two trapped workers from a collapsed tunnel in Ohio. Unfortunately, the public rejected his heroism because he was black, and he was denied several awards he richly deserved. Racism didn't stop Morgan from obtaining more patents, and even in a hostile society, he profited from his inventions. In the middle of the Jim Crow era, the power of patents allowed Morgan to live secure, knowing his work was safe from theft.
This proud tradition of Black inventors continues today, as Lonnie Johnson has obtained over 100 patents. He is best known for inventing the Super Soaker, but his true passion is developing environmentally friendly technology that converts heat directly into electricity.
Dr. Marian Rogers Croak is another Black pioneer who has focused her vast energies on building secure ways to communicate over the internet and developed the Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP). Whenever you talk to someone over FaceTime or attend a Zoom meeting, it is partially because of Dr. Croak’s work.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Croak quickly invented technology allowing instant and secure donations to groups like the Red Cross, who needed funds to care for the victims.
Black inventors have shaped and will continue shaping America through their persistence and genius. We should all take a moment to appreciate these incredible Black men and women – and so many others like them for their innovation, creativity, and their example.
Willis Haviland Carrier would strongly disagree.
“. . . Name one Supreme other than Diana Ross.”
Mary Wilson (Hey, that’s the music of my era).
OK. I heard many years ago that the inventor was black.
Florence Ballard......we got them all well except for the two early ones who left before they hit it big. :)
All of this is fine, but history books have never been filled with the names of inventors, save a few who invented truly transformative things.
There are thousands of Americans in our history who invented and patented something useful. How many of the thousands should school children be required to learn about?
Heh. You got me there. :)
When I was a little kid, I loved seeing Aunt Jemima’s picture on that bottle of syrup. Her smile was so warm and sincere. Of course, the Left have to get rid of that lovely image. A lot of us are sick of this crap. I certainly don’t know how this cold civil war is going to end, but it will come to a head. BTW, I guess everybody here knows that being a spokesperson/face of the product this lady made a nice living and her family was so proud of her. I am so beyond disgusted at what is happening to our country.
I hear you. I'm have been awarded 9 with a few still under evaluation, not to mention a few trade secrets that the companies did not want disclosed. Maybe got enough for me to get a few Happy Meals while the corps made millions, but money was not the driving factor. A leapord can't change its spots.
I was in a supermarket yesterday and it was still all Aunt Jemima on those products. The ridiculous new name and label apparently haven't made it to the retail shelf yet.
“I still remember growing up and having to endure some black inventor who found all these uses for a peanut - even though, to this day, all I ever did was eat them.”
That would be George Washington Carved of the Tuskegee Institute.
The poor farmers friend.
And they’re guaranteed to complain for at least 5 days of it...
The world needs to honor the black inventors and leaders who turned Africa into the world’s leading economic engine—with a continent full of prosperous folks....
Oops..wrong parallel universe....
Because the liberal blacks who teach black history do not know black history.
Only in America could these black inventors have accomplished what they did. In Africa such people would have been snuffed out the minute they showed that they were brighter than the ruling chieftain. In an atmosphere of fear and superstition that has ruled the African continent, such inventive brilliance might never have developed at all. Only under the umbrella of a universally decided upon Judeo-christian consensus of morality that has influenced the west, that takes away the fear of death and the grave could such inventors have arisen.
The good news for Pearl Milling they no longer have to pay descendants royalties.
I love the inventions of black/Black inventors. For real!
The automatic coupling device on railroad cars was invented by a Black/black man. He had witnessed how dangerous the job was and how many yard workers lost a leg, etc.
And remember that many blacks/Blacks had no formal education 75 to 100+ years ago.
The premise for AC was conceived in 1824 by Carnot, a Frenchy.
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