In honor of Black History Month approaching in February, there has been lots of discussion surrounding the lives of African American's and their importance to society. In this article, I hope to publicize the many creative inventions and accomplishments contributed to society by African Americans. After reading this, I hope you become inspired to learn more about African American culture, which isn't highlighted in everyday media sites.
George Washington Carver (c. 1860 – Jan. 5, 1943).
Carver was a former slave, who later became a scientist, educator and humanitarian. He developed many products that we use today from peanuts such as soybeans, pecans, and sweet potatoes. He also made a significant impact on farming crops by creating products which farmers made lots of money from.
George Crum (c. 1828 – July 22, 1914)
Do you love potatoes chips? Meet their inventor. George Crum was the first to invent them when he became a Chef in New York. Here's what is cool about his invention. While working at a restaurant, several complaints came in about the french fries being too thick. Crum then made a thinner batch, but the customer was still unsatisfied. Crum decided to annoy the customer by making the fries so thin, that they couldn't even be eaten with a fork, and surprisingly the customer loved them! Thanks to him, we can enjoy so many flavors of potato chips!
Garrett Morgan (March 4, 1877 – July 27, 1963).
Garrett Morgan is the inventor of gas masks. He created them to help rescue minors who were trapped underground. After putting his successful invention to use, Morgan was asked to create masks for the U.S. Army. He also created traffic signals.
Madame C.J. Walker (Dec. 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919)
One of my personal favorites is Madame C.J. Walker. She invented many popular beauty and hair products. She then opened her own cosmetics line in 1905. After creating many successful, and highly used beauty supplies, Walker was able to expand her business and begin selling her products door to door.
Charles Richard Drew (June 3, 1904 – April 1, 1950)
Drew was a doctor and a surgeon who invited the idea of preserving blood. He did this by creating a blood bank and a system for the long preservation of blood plasma. His idea was then implemented by hospitals and the system saved many lives. Further, Drew became the first director of the Red Cross blood banks.
In addition to these creative inventors, there are many other African Americans who invented things we use daily. Many people don't give much thought about most of the things we often use and how they were invented. However, it is very interesting to see what individuals in different cultures have created. These inventions are very effective and they will always have a lasting impact on society. Imagine how life without chips, beauty products, and other useful things would be today.
