Hey, Cougars! For this week’s Black History month article, we’ll look at six black inventors whose inventions made our lives easier. There are numerous inventions by black inventors that many people are already aware of, such as the cell phone, hot comb, and traffic light, but there are other very important inventions by black inventors that have sadly gone unnoticed over the centuries. The first black US inventor to receive a patent for his invention was Lewis Howard Latimer. Latimer improved many inventions including the telephone, and now thanks to Latimer paving the way for other inventors we can now appreciate 6 black inventors who make our daily lives easier.
George T. Sampson—Clothing Dryer
Could you imagine what life would be like without drying machines? George Sampson invented the clothes dryer in 1892. This occurred after his mother died and Sampson was left in charge of assisting his father in hanging the wet clothes. We’d still have to hang our clothes outside on clothing lines if it hadn’t been for this invention, and while many people still do this, there’s no denying that the clothes dryer saves time.
Alfred L. Cralle—Ice Cream Scooper
On a hot summer day, who doesn’t enjoy a cold, tasty treat? We can now eat large scoops of our favorite treat instead of spoonfuls, all thanks to Alfred Cralle. In 1897, Alfred Cralle invented the ice cream scooper. When he saw servers having to use two hands to serve ice cream to customers, he had the idea for this invention. Cralle noticed that ice cream tended to stick to the spoon and decided to invent the mechanical device that is still in use hundreds of years later.
John Albert Burr—Lawnmower
Nobody enjoys mowing the lawn, but imagine having to use a scythe to cut an entire lawn of grass. Even the thought of cutting grass sounds exhausting, but thanks to John Burr, it has become much easier. Burr invented the lawnmower and received numerous patents for lawn care and agricultural inventions in 1899. Burr, unlike many other inventors, was able to see his patent commercialized and receive royalties for it.
Marie Van Brittain Brown— Home Security System
We can now feel much safer in our homes thanks to Marie Brown’s foresight in inventing the home security system. In 1966, she and her husband invented the first home security system, which included four peepholes, a sliding camera, and a two-way microphone capable of capturing people of various heights. Today, Brown’s design is influenced by many of the home security systems on the market, which contribute to a safer society.
John E. Purdy & Daniel Sadgwar—Portable Folding Chairs
Have you ever noticed how the same chairs can be found at parties, graduations, and on back porches? That’s because portable folding chairs were invented in 1889 by John Purdy and Daniel Sadgwar. Purdy and Sadgwar both wanted to improve the strength and portability of folding chairs, so they designed something that would make them both strong and portable. These chairs can now be used for a variety of events thanks to Purdy and Sadgwar.
Cougars, there you have it! Those are the six black inventors who made our lives so much easier. These hardworking individuals and their creative minds have changed the way we use everyday items, and their inventions will be remembered for the rest of our lives.