The Wonderful Black People Inventions

Black People’s Inventions are the material Proof of their Knowledge and Identity. Many renowned inventions such as the light bulb, the cotton gin, and the iPhone are widely known. However, numerous other often underestimated creations significantly contribute to our daily convenience.

African American inventors have played a crucial role in developing these devices, including the traffic light and the ironing board. Of course, there is more but we will point out three main ones: 

Ironing Board 

The ironing board is a product that often goes unnoticed despite its widespread usage. However, in the late 19th century, Sarah Boone, an African American woman who was born into slavery, made significant improvements to it.

She became one of the first Black women in the history of the United States to receive a patent. Her enhancements were built upon the original 1858 patent, which described a basic horizontal wooden block.

In 1892, Boone introduced a more advanced version of the ironing board, featuring a narrower and curved design that made it much more convenient for ironing garments, especially women’s clothing. Over time, Boone’s innovative design evolved into the modern ironing board that we commonly use today.

The Houses´Security System 

Before the widespread adoption of security systems in households, an African American nurse named Mary Van Brittan Brown developed an early security unit for her residence. Living alone in Queens, New York, while her husband was often away, she felt vulnerable due to the high crime rates in her neighborhood.

Adding to her concerns was the unreliability and unresponsiveness of the police. In response to these challenges, she decided to create a device that could provide her with a sense of security.

In 1966, Brown came up with a remarkable system featuring a camera that could slide into four peepholes in her front door, allowing her to view the area outside on a monitor from the comfort of her home.

She further enhanced the system by incorporating a microphone, enabling her to communicate with anyone at the door, a button for unlocking the door, and another button to contact the police if necessary.

Brown and her husband obtained a patent for this invention in 1966, and it was officially granted to them three years later in 1969. Notably, today’s commonly used home security systems draw inspiration from various elements of her innovative design.

Traffic Light

Having received only an elementary school education and being the son of an enslaved parent, Garrett Morgan, a Black inventor, conceived several significant innovations, including an enhanced sewing machine and a gas mask. Nevertheless, one of his most influential creations was the improved traffic light.

In the 1920s, Morgan developed one of the earliest three-light systems, leading to the widespread adoption of the traffic lights that we now consider a common part of modern life.

Morgan’s success in other inventions allowed him to purchase a car, and it was while driving that he witnessed a severe car accident at an intersection in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

This incident prompted him to enhance the existing traffic light by incorporating a “yield” component, warning oncoming drivers of an upcoming stop. In 1923, he obtained a patent for this innovation, and it was granted to him the following year.

Read the Original Article on History.

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