Black Inventors of America
by McKinley Burt, Jr.

How many industries vital to America’s success have been profoundly influenced by the contributions of African-Americans? Automobiles, railroads, trucking, communication, footwear, agricultural produce, and sugar refining, to name a few. Who are these individuals, and how did they come to make their contributions? Who was the Real McCoy?

This book moves beyond the realm of hearsay and folklore… and tells the truth about the very real and magnificent accomplishments of a talented race of people. Passing on knowledge of these triumphs to children and young adults is especially important.

The following is a partial list of African-Americans whose innovative and technological achievements have influenced and contributed to American Industry, Commerce and Culture in our global society. As referenced in Black Inventors of America:

 

(A)
Air Conditioning Unit F.M. Jones, July 12, 1949
Air Ship J.F. Pickering, Feb. 20, 1900
Almanac Benjamin Banneker, Approx. 1791
Automatic Air Brake Granville T. Woods, June 10, 1902
Automatic gear shift Richard Spikes, February 28, 1932

(B)
Baby buggy W.H. Richardson, June 18, 1899
Bicycle Frame L.R. Johnson, October 10, 1899
Blood plasma bag Charles Drew, Approx. 1945

(C)
Cellular phone Henry T. Sampson, July 6, 1971
Child’s Carriage W.H. Richardson, June 18, 1889
Churn A.C. Richardson, Feb. 17, 1891
Clothes Dryer G.T. Sampson, June 6, 1862

(D)
Detachable Car Fender R.Hearness, July 4, 1899
Dough Kneader L. Bell, Dec. 10, 1872
Door knob & stop O. Dorsey, December 10, 1878

(E)
Egg beater Willie Johnson, February 5, 1884
ElectroMechanical Brake Granville T. Woods, Aug. 16, 1887
Elevator Alexander Miles, October 11, 1867
Elevator Device J. Cooper, April 2, 1895
Electric lamp bulb Lewis Latimer, March 21, 1882
Electric Railway System Granville T. Woods, Jan. 13, 1903
Eye Protector P. Johnson, Nov. 2, 1880

(F)
Fire Escape Ladder J.B. Winters, May 7, 1878
Fire Extinguisher T. Marshall, October 26, 1872
Folding Bed L.C. Bailey, July 18, 1899
Folding Chair Purdy & Sadgwar, June 11, 1889
Fountain pen W.B. Purvis, January 7, 1890
Furniture Castor D.A. Fisher, March 14, 1876

(G)
Gas Burner B.F. Jackson, April 4, 1899
Gas Mask Garrett Morgan, October 13, 1914
Golf Tee T. Grant, December 12, 1899
Guitar Robert Fleming, Jr., March 3, 1886

(H)

Hair brush Lydia Newman, November 15, 18-
Heating Apparatus B.F. Jackson, March 1, 1898
Horse shoe J. Ricks, March 30, 1886

(I)
Ice cream scooper A.L. Cralle, February 2, 1897
Invalid Cot B.F.Cargill, July 25, 1899
Ironing board Sarah Boone, December 30, 1887

(J)
Joiner’s Clamp D.A. Fisher, Apr. 20, 1875

(K)
Key chain F. J. Loudin, January 9, 1894

(L)
Lantern Michael C. Harve, August 19, 1884
Lawn Mower L. A. Burr, May 19, 1889
Lawn Sprinkler Design Elijah McCoy, Sept. 26, 1899
Lemon Squeezer J.T. White, Dec. 8, 1896
Life Saving Apparatus J. Wormley, May 4, 1881
Life Saving Guards for
Trains & Street Cars J.H. Robinson, Mar. 14 & Apr. 25, 1899
Lubricator Elijah McCoy, May 27, 1893

(M)
Machine for Cleaning
Seed Cotton P. Walker, Feb. 16, 1897
Mailbox Paul L. Downing, October 27, 1891
Mop T.W. Stewart, June 13, 1893
Motor Frederick M. Jones, June 27, 1939

(N)
Nailing Machine J.E. Matzeliger, Feb. 25, 1896

(O)
Oil Stove J. Standard, Oct. 29, 1899

(P)
Peanut Butter George Washington Carver, 1896
Pencil sharpener J. L. Love, November 23, 1897
Planter & Cultivator G.W. Murray, June 5, 1894
Printing Press W.A. Lavalette, Sept. 17, 1878
Propeller for Vessels G. Toliver, April 28, 1891

(R)
Railcar Coupling A.J. Beard, Nov. 23, 1897
Railway Switch W.H. Jackson, March 9, 1897
Railway Telegraphy Granville T. Woods, Nov.15, 1887
Refrigerator J. Standard, June 14, 1891
Refrigration
Control Device F.M. Jones, Jan. 8, 1952
Rotary Dining Table D. Johnson, Jan. 15, 1888
Rotary Engine B.H. Taylor, Apr. 23, 1878

(S)
Scaffold H. Pickett, June 30, 1874
Shoe Lasting Machine J.E. Matzeliger, Sept. 22, 1891
Spark plug Edmond Berger, February 2, 1839
Spring Seat for Chairs A.B. Blackburn, Apr. 3, 1888
Steam Boiler Furnace Granville T. Woods, June 3, 1884
Steam Cylinder Lubricator Elijah McCoy, Feb. 1, 1876
Stethoscope Imhotep, Ancient Egypt
Stove T.A. Carrington, July 25, 1876
Straightening comb Madame C.J. Walker, Approx. 1905
Street Sprinkling Apparatus M.W. Binga, July 22, 1879
Street sweeper Charles B. Brooks, March 17, 1890
Sugar Refinement (The"Rillieux"Process) Norman Rillieux, Dec. 10, 1846
Swinging Chairs P. Johnson, Nov. 15, 1881

(T)
Telephone Transmitter Granville T. Woods, Dec. 2, 1884
Thermostat control Frederick M. Jones, February 23, 1960
Ticket Dispensing Machine Frederick M. Jones, June 27, 1939
Traffic light Garret Morgan, November 20, 1923
Tricycle M. A. Cherry, May 6, 1686
Two-Cycle Gas Engine Frederick M. Jones, March 11, 1947
Typewriter Burridge and Marshman, April 7, 1885

(U)
Umbrella Stand W.C. Carter, Aug. 4th, 1885

(V)
Velocipede M.A. Cherry, May 8, 1888
Ventilated Shoe H. Faulkner, April 29, 1890

(W)
Watch Benjamin Banneker, late 18th Century
Water Closets for Railway Cars Latimer & Brown, Feb. 10, 1874