African American history
is bursting with notables who have made significant contributions to American
society. Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas and Martin Luther King, Jr. are just
a few who have come to represent only a fraction of African Americans achievements.
There are many blacks whose inventions have changed the way we all view the
world, but their lives often go unnoticed when black history is told.
Speaking of history ...
Click
here to read the comments of Daimler-Chrysler workers about the importance
of Black History Month.
Had it not been for the
creative intellect of African Americans, our society would miss many basic necessities.
Imagine a world without black people. The void would be felt in nearly every
area of modern life.
What would this country
be like without the contributions of African Americans? Let’s take a look:
There'd be no tall skyscrapers
because Alexander Miles, a black man, invented a safe elevator, and
without it, one finds great difficulty reaching high floors.
Our cars wouldn’t be
as easy to drive, because Richard Spikes invented the automatic gear
shift. And don't forget Joseph Gammel, who invented the Super Charge
System for the internal combustion engine.
The streets and roads
would be in chaos, if Garrett A. Morgan hadn't invented the traffic
light. And our soldiers could be in deadly peril; he also invented the gas
mask.
Rapid transit would
not be so rapid; an African American named Elbert R. Robinson invented
the electric trolley.
Garrett Morgan
Even if there were streets
on which cars and a rapid transit system could operate, they would be cluttered
with paper and trash, had not Charles Brooks invented the street sweeper.
There would be few newspapers,
magazines and books, because John Love invented the pencil sharpener,
William Purvis invented the fountain pen, Lee Burridge invented
a typewriter, and W.A. Lavette invented an advanced printing press.
And they were all – you guessed it – black!
Even if Americans could
write letters, they'd be hard to transport them by mail, because William
Barry invented the postmarking and canceling machine. William Purvis
invented the hand stamp and Philip Downing invented the letter drop.
Lee Burridge
Cars would be hot, and
produce would spoil, because Frederick Jones, a black man, invented
the car, truck and rail air conditioner. And homes might be cold and dark,
since African American Alice Parker invented a new gas central-heating
furnace, Lewis Latimer the electric lamp bulb, Michael Harvey
the lantern and Granville T. Woods the automatic cut-off switch.
Homes might be dirty,
too. Thomas W. Steward invented the mop and Lloyd P. Ray invented
the dustpan. Yards would be in terrible shape, since John Burr invented
the lawnmower.
Lewis Latimer
It would be difficult
to stay well groomed. Jan E. Matzelinger invented the shoe lasting
machine, Walter Sammons invented the pressing comb, Sarah Boone
invented the ironing board and George T. Samon invented the clothes
dryer. Still more African American innovations.
And Sunday dinner would
be a huge disappointment because the food might spoil if John Standard
hadn't invented a better refrigerator.
These pioneers, while offering
just a glimpse into history, showcase how readily Americans have depended on
the inventions from the minds of blacks. Black history is more than just a recording
of historical events. It is a reflection on the acts of courage and determination
from those blacks whose perseverance helped to mold American society.
