In honor of Black History Month, here are few profiles of contributors to history of African descent:

Lewis Latimer

Thomas Edison may have invented the electric lightbulb, but Latimer helped make it a common feature in American households. In 1881 he received a patent for inventing a method of producing carbon filaments, which made the bulbs longer-lasting, more efficient and cheaper. Latimer, who at one time worked as a draftsman for inventor Alexander Graham Bell, would eventually be hired by Edison and continue his innovations in electric lighting. Edison’s company would go on to become General Electric.

Lonnie G. Johnson

Inventor of the Super Soaker®

An anonymous source said of the Super Soaker®: “I got fired from a job once because of my Super Soaker. I guess that’s what happens when you accidentally drench a customer when you’re trying to get a co-worker who ducks.”
Famous black inventor and scientist Lonnie G. Johnson probably didn’t have that little scenario in mind when he invented the Super Soaker squirt gun, but it is one of the countless memories that can be recalled by those who were young enough to enjoy the Super Soaker after its release in 1989.

Thanks to Tanisha and Bryan Jones and their daughter Sinai for compiling these profiles from the following sources:

1) The Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage, by Susan Altman
2) The Roots website, theroots.com
3) Famous Black Inventors website, black-inventor.com

In honor of Black History Month, here are few profiles of contributors to history of African descent:

Harriet M. Waddy

A Top-Ranking Black Female Officer

Harriet M. Waddy was one of the two highest-ranking black officers in the women’s Army Corps in World War II. She said that joining the segregated military ”and accepting a situation which does not represent an ideal of democracy” was not ”a retreat from our fight” but ”our contribution to its realization,” according to the New York Times. Before entering the military, she was an aide to Mary McLeod Bethune.

Dr. Shirley Jackson

Telecommunications Inventions

Dr. Shirley Jackson, a theoretical physicist and famous black inventor, has been credited with making many advances in science. She first developed an interest in science and mathematics during her childhood and conducted experiments and studies, such as those on the eating habits of honeybees. She followed this interest to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she received a bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree, all in the field of physics. In doing so she became the first African-American woman to acquire a Ph.D. from MIT. Continue reading →

In honor of Black History Month, here are few profiles of contributors to history of African descent:

James C. Letton

Letton made a name for himself at Procter & Gamble by earning several patents for biodegradable soap elements and enzyme stabilizers for laundry detergent in the late 1970s. The scientist, who earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, has also been granted several patents while working as part of the team exploring uses for fat substitute Olestra.

Dr. Philip Emeagwali

Inventor of the World’s Fastest Computer

Dr. Philip Emeagwali, who has been called the “Bill Gates of Africa,” was born in Nigeria in 1954. Like many African schoolchildren, he dropped out of school at age 14 because his father could not continue paying Emeagwali’s school fees. However, his father continued teaching him at home, and everyday Emeagwali performed mental exercises such as solving 100 math problems in one hour. His father taught him until Philip “knew more than he did.”
Continue reading →

In honor of Black History Month, here are few profiles of contributors to history of African descent:

Gerald A. Lawson

Anyone who owns a Playstation, Wii or Xbox should know Lawson’s name. He created the first home video game system that used interchangeable cartridges, offering gamers a chance to play a variety of games and giving video game makers a way to earn profits by selling individual games, a business model that exists today. Lawson, who died last year at age 70, is just beginning to be recognized by the gaming industry for his pioneering work. Continue reading →