Historically Speaking

History is cruel when it comes to telling the stories of African-Americans. Where Black inventors are concerned, the cruelty takes the especially bitter guise of insidious omission.

Prior to the Civil War, a slave could neither be granted patents nor assign patents to their masters. The theory was that slaves were not citizens and therefore could not enter into contracts with their owners or the government. As a result, the efforts of the slaves were either dismissed, or claimed entirely by their masters when a profit could be made. In the end, we can only speculate on what part Blacks played in the significant inventions they worked on.

If we consider John Standard, inventor of the refrigerator, George Sampson, creator of the clothes dryer, Alexander Miles and his elevator, Lewis Latimer and the electric lamp -- all of these inventors share two things: one, they changed the landscape of our society; and two, society relegated them to the footnotes of history.

History further tells us that many of the inventions by Blacks came from the sheer need to make their bondage as slaves easier. It is ironic that by 1870 the vast majority of History further tells us that many of the inventions by Blacks came from the sheer need to make their bondage as slaves easier. It is ironic that by 1870 the vast majority of African-Americans were still illiterate as they had not been allowed to go to school -- slavery prohibited anyone from teaching slaves to read or write. Yet, despite educational deprivation, Black men and women made tremendous contributions through their inventions; inventions which have touched the lives of people everywhere.

We are here today to fill in some of the pages which heretofore have been left blank. Our work is but a short chapter in the book of tribute which should be paid to the genius of these inventors.

Inventing in Color

A Tribute to Black Inventors
by African-American Artisans

Too many Black inventors were robbed of their inventions and buried in anonymity. This exhibition is designed to make all who see it aware that a vast number of the things we take for granted in daily living were invented by Black men and women. These people deserve to be remembered, so we gladly pay them tribute.

While this exhibition highlights dozens of inventions, it is important to note that there have been thousands of inventors of African ancestry who have made major contributions that are in worldwide use today. It is some of the most familiar inventions that we present in this show.

Did you know that Black men and women hold patents for the traffic light, the public letter box, mobile refrigeration, the ironing board, the golf tee, the incandescent light bulb, the elevator, the pencil sharpener, the horseshoe, the street sweeper, ice cream, and the gas mask, to name but a few?

Volumes could be written about the contributions of all the Black inventors. This show is just an introduction. We hope that it leads to more books, more research, and more appreciation for the inspired vision that has produced products and services that enrich every life.