How many times have you heard that Thomas Edison created the lightbulb? Probably quite a lot. How many times have you heard that Lewis Latimer also made the lightbulb? Probably not as much. Latimer’s lightbulb was more practical and affordable for the average household, yet we never really learned about his invention. Throughout history, society continuously overlooks the contributions and importance of African Americans. Black inventors are disregarded even though their inventions continue to benefit society. Here are five important Black inventors that you’ve probably never heard about.
- Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner (1912-2006)
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By far, Mary Kenner is one of the numerous Black female inventors who’ve created a product that changed the world. According to BlackPast, Kenner was born into a family of inventors;her grandfather developed the tricolor signal light for trains, and her sister had created her own family board game. So it was no surprise that Kenner had a knack for being an inventor. Mary Kenner is the inventor of the sanitary belt, which is the predecessor of the sanitary pad. Her invention transformed menstrual hygiene and paved the way for women’s comfort. DiverisityInc explains that several companies had been interested in Kenner’s invention, but once they discovered she was Black, their interests diminished. It took Kenner 30 years to get a patent due to the blatant racism she experienced. Although Mary Kenner never became rich from her inventions, she revolutionized the way women felt and cared for their periods, and for that, she will not be forgotten.
- Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919)
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According to Scholastic, Madam C.J. Walker was one of the first African American millionaires in America. Walker did not have a peaceful childhood because both of her parents were enslaved, and she became an orphan by the age of seven. She got married at 14 and then was a widow with a small child when she was 20. Despite all this, Walker remained a woman of numerous talents; she was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a sociopolitical activist. Walker made her wealth by producing her haircare and cosmetic line for Black women. Her haircare products were designed to help African American women because in the 1890s, indoor plumbing was scarce, and women were seldom washing their hair, leaving their scalps vulnerable to insects and bacteria. History.com states that throughout her lifetime, Walker donated generously to African American causes. She is an inspiration to women worldwide because of her successful career and her generous actions to give back.
- Lonnie G. Johnson (1949-)
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This invention is truly enjoyable. While researching Black inventors, Johnson showed up, and I was quite surprised to learn of his inventions. He had played a large role in my childhood, yet I’ve never heard of him. Lonnie G. Johnson is the inventor of the super-soaker water gun, but he is also noted for his work on the Galileo Project for NASA, for which he won multiple awards. According to Scholastic, it was his work at NASA that fueled his idea for the water gun. Ever since the creation of the water gun in 1990, it has remained one of the world’s best-selling toys. With the money Johnson had made, he financed his research in green technology.
- Garrett Augustus Morgan (1877-1963)
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Morgan had quite a few inventions, some of them saving lives. Morgan created the smoke hood, an early version of the gas masks after watching firefighters struggle with the smoke. His smoke hood was uncomplicated and efficient, which added to the appeal. Morgan’s smoke hood got nationally acknowledged during a tunnel explosion under Lake Erie. Morgan was asked to bring as many smoke hoods as possible so that his product could help rescuers go in and save people. Morgan and his brother also went into the tunnel to save people. As reported by PBS, any had doubted Morgan, but he proved himself and demonstrated that his invention had worked.
As stated by History.com, Morgan was also responsible for the invention of the traffic signal with three commands rather than two. His invention controlled the traffic more efficiently and had made the streets safer for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers. - James E. West (1931-)
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James E. West is the co-inventor of the foil electret microphone, a compact and affordable microphone. Did you know that 90% of the microphones around today use his technology?! According to John Hopkins Engineering School, this includes the cell phone you’re reading this on, your laptop, baby monitors and even hearing aids. West has won a plethora of awards for his work. Scholastic states that his invention revolutionized and advanced technology in so many ways. As a result, West paved the pathway for various current inventions as well.
I hope this article encourages you to explore more Black inventors that deserve recognition because there are plenty out there that did not get the acknowledgment they warrant. These inventors deserve to be celebrated for their achievements and for revolutionizing life for us. We would not be where we are in society without them. Happy Black History Month!