Black American inventors have played a crucial role in shaping American history, yet their contributions are often overlooked or underrepresented in mainstream narratives. From the creation of the traffic light to the development of life-saving medical devices, the inventions of the brilliant minds below have had a profound impact in not just the U.S, but the world in general.
1 . George Washington Carver
Carver was a renowned scientist and inventor who is best known for his work with peanuts. He developed over 300 products using peanuts, including peanut butter, cheese, milk, and soap. Carver’s work helped to revolutionize the agricultural industry and helped to diversify crop production in the United States.
2. Elijah McCoy
McCoy was an inventor and engineer who developed a number of important innovations in the field of lubrication. His most famous invention was the “lubricating cup,” which was used to automatically oil the steam engines of trains and ships. This device greatly improved the efficiency and reliability of these machines, and McCoy’s inventions are still in use today.
3 . Granville T. Woods
Woods was a self-taught inventor and engineer who made significant contributions to the field of electrical engineering. Over the course of his lifetime Granville Woods obtained more than 50 patents for inventions including an automatic brake, an egg incubator, and for improvements to other technologies such as the safety circuit, telegraph, telephone, and phonograph. Woods’ work helped to lay the foundations for modern telecommunications and transportation systems.
4 . Lewis Howard Latimer
Latimer was an inventor and draftsman who made important contributions to the development of electric lighting. He worked with Alexander Graham Bell to develop the first practical telephone and later joined the U.S. Electric Lighting Company, where he helped to develop the carbon filament light bulb.
5 . Madam C.J. Walker
Walker was the first African American woman to become a self-made millionaire. She developed a line of hair care products for African American women and used her success to become an advocate for civil rights and women’s suffrage.
6 . Frederick McKinley Jones
Jones was an inventor and engineer who developed a number of important innovations in the field of refrigeration. He invented the first successful system for mobile refrigeration. His invention revolutionized the transportation of perishable goods and made it possible to store food in homes and restaurants.
7 . Otis Boykin
Boykin was an inventor and engineer who developed a number of important innovations in the field of electronics. He is best known for his work on electronic control systems for guided missiles and computers, as well as for developing an improved resistor for use in electronic circuits.
8 . Percy Julian
Julian was a chemist and inventor who made important contributions to the field of medicine. He developed a number of important drugs, including the synthetic cortisone, which is used to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions. Julian’s work helped to pave the way for the development of many modern pharmaceuticals.
9 . Benjamin Banneker
Banneker was a self-taught mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the fields of science and engineering. He is best known for his work on the development of the first clock made entirely in the United States.
10 . Lonnie G. Johnson
Johnson is a physicist and inventor who is best known for his work on the development of the Super Soaker, a popular water gun. He has also made significant contributions to the fields of energy and aerospace engineering, and has developed a number of important patents in these areas.
1 1. Garrett Morgan
Morgan was an inventor and businessman who developed a number of important innovations, including a gas mask and the traffic light. His gas mask was used to protect soldiers and firefighters during World War I, and his traffic signal is still in use today.
12. Sarah Boone
Sarah Boone was an dressmaker and inventor best known for inventing the modern Ironing board, a device used to iron clothes and other fabrics.
13. Ernest Everett Just
Just was a biologist and physiologist who made important contributions to the fields of science and medicine. He is best known for his work on the development of the zygote and for his contributions to the understanding of cell division and fertilization.
14 . George Robert Carruthers
George Robert Carruthers was an African American inventor, physicist, engineer and space scientist. He is best known for developing the first moon-based observatory, the Far Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrograph, which was used in the Apollo 16 mission.
15 . Shirley Ann Jackson
Jackson is a theoretical physicist and engineer who made important contributions to the field of telecommunications. Her research and experiments paved the way for the creation of fiber optic cables, touch-tone telephones, caller ID and call waiting.
16 . Henry Thomas Sampson
Sampson is a physicist and engineer who made important contributions to the field of nuclear energy. He is best known for his work on the development of the gamma-electric cell, which is used to generate electricity from nuclear reactions.
17 . Mark Dean
Dean is an engineer and computer scientist who made important contributions to the field of computing. He is best known for his work on the development of the IBM personal computer and for his contributions to the design of computer hardware and software.
18 . Benjamin Bradley
Bradley was an inventor and engineer who made important contributions to the field of steam power. He is best known for his work on the development of the steam engine and for his contributions to the design of steam-powered ships and locomotives.
19 . George Edward Alcorn
Alcorn is a physicist and engineer who made important contributions to the field of x-ray imaging. He is best known for his work on the development of the x-ray spectrometer and for his contributions to the understanding of x-ray emissions from celestial objects.
20. Jan E. Matzeliger
Matzeliger was an inventor and engineer who made important contributions to the field of shoe manufacturing. He is best known for his work on the development of the shoe lasting machine, which revolutionized the way that shoes are made and greatly improved the efficiency of the shoe industry.
