Though not as well known as other inventors, black inventors have made our lives better. They've invented various everyday items that we use, some of which some people think that they can't live without. I don't think that everyone really appreciates what they have, hence the list.
1. Madam C. J. Walker
Born Sarah Breedlove on Dec. 23, 1867, Madam C. J. Walker is well-known by historians by her millionaire status (the first black female millionaire) and her hair care inventions for African Americans. As a young woman, she suffered from a condition that caused her to lose her hair. To counteract this, she started trying out different remedies to improve her condition. This led to her being commissioned, traveling around with her hair care products and helping improve hair care in Black communities.
2. George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver was a botanist born to a slave mother who died when he was young. His contributions in the field of agriculture led to many advancements that we have today. He's mostly well-known for the various uses for peanuts that he developed. In 1896, he completed his Master's in agriculture and later accepted a position as head of the department of agriculture at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
3. Albert Brown and Marie Van Brittan Brown
The invention of this couple is still in use nationwide. Marie and her husband Albert created the home security system. While Marie was a nurse, Albert was an Electronics technician. When the couple realized that their neighborhood was getting more dangerous, they saw that they needed a way to tell who they were greeting at their door. They also devised a way to sound an alarm if an intruder was at their house or open the door if there was a friend. They filed a patent for the system in 1966 and have been sighted in later patents ever since.
4. Henry Blair
Also another influential person in agriculture, Blair created two different seed planters. This made planting crops much easier, as it cut down distribution. The first patent he received was for a corn planter in 1834. It helped plant seeds more efficiently. The second patent he received was in 1836, and was for a cotton planter. The second planter helped with weed control and even distribution of seeds.
5. Patricia Bath
The first African American female doctor to receive a medical patent, Patricia Bath has greatly contributed to cataract treatment. She graduated high school after two years before going to Hunter College for her bachelor's and then Howard University for a medical degree. Bath created the Laserphaco Probe in 1986 and was the first African American to complete a residency in ophthalmology in 1973. She received the patent for the probe in 1988.
6. James Edward Maceo West
This inventor attended Temple University to study psychics in 1953 and worked as an intern for Bell Laboratories during the summers. His degree was received in 1957. While working in the same where he did his internship, West and another scientist developed a cheaper, smaller microphone. After this, he developed over 250 more patents for microphones and inventions related to polymer-foil electrets.
