Many people are familiar with the names Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Graham Bell. They are all notable inventors in American history. However, another aspect they have in common is that they are all white. Within our school curriculum, prominent African American figures are not presented to children, which as a result makes them unaware of the significant impact they had on this country. In commemoration of Black history month, these are some of the inventors that should be recognized and remembered for their valuable contributions to better society in the United States.
Marie Ban Brittan Brown
If you want to thank someone for protecting your home, it should be this woman. Marie Brown worked as a full time nurse. However, she realized that there were potential threats to her home as crime drastically increased in her neighborhood and there would be no one in the house every time she left for work. She ended up devising a system that could alert her when strangers entered the premises of her home while enabling her to call the police immediately. Her original invention consisted of a camera, a two way microphone, and monitors to keep track of movements. This invention laid the groundwork for modern day closed circuit television systems that are still used today in museums, grocery stores, and our own homes.
Lonnie G. Johnson
Even though most people would not consider water guns an invention, they are still fun to play with during the summer months. Graduating from Tuskegee University, Johnsons received a Bachelors in mechanical engineering and a masters in nuclear engineering. Eventually he wound up getting a Ph.D. as well. As a NASA employee, he had accomplished incredible feats such as working on the Galileo Jupiter probe and Mars Observer project. He has accumulated more than 250 patents, most of which are for the Super Soaker (the water gun he invented). He was also awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. In 2015, the Super Soaker was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.
Sarah Boone
She was born as an enslaved African woman, yet she is one of the first Black women to receive a patent for her invention. She did not necessarily create the ironing board, but she developed improvements for it. Initially, iron boards were simply horizontal wooden blocks. Boone changed the entire design, making the slab of wood narrower and more curved. This made it easier to iron all types of clothing, especially women’s garments.
Garrett Morgan
There are two main inventions that Morgan established during his lifetime. One of these was beneficial to our troops. He created the first gas masks. Initially, this product was to be used for firefighters who would jump into smokey buildings but eventually was used during wartime affairs. The other invention is a common sight we see every day: the traffic light. Before his invention, street accidents were a common mishap on the roads, injuring and killing many people. With the addition of a yield component, their number of accidents that occurred decreased.
Mary and Mildred Davidson
The Davidson sisters’ inventions revolved around improvements with the household. In 1956, they developed the sanitary belt and three years later she added the sanitary belt moisture-proof pocket. This made dealing with periods easier, since it made it less likely more menstrual blood to leak through and stain clothing. They also developed a bathroom tissue holder, allowing the roll to stay in one place and the loose end of the roll to be constantly accessible. Although these may seem insignificant and things we take for granted, they helped improve the quality of life for all of us.
Albert Richardson
For people who love adding some butter to their toast, Albert Richardson made it considerably easier to churn butter by developing a large wooden cylinder that had a handle and moved up and down. Back then butter would be churned in a bowl. This not only made it easier to churn butter but also made it so butter could be produced in larger amounts. In 1882, Richardson also patented an insect-destroying gun.
Even though we pay attention to the successes of African Americans during Black history month, we should make an effort to educate our children on these topics, so we can ensure a more inclusive community in the future.