Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "that by the time we leave for work we have been dependent on half the world—modern America is created by dependencies on the inventions from the minds of Black folks."

Did you know . . .

• Henry Blair of Maryland was the first black inventor to receive a patent. He invented a corn planter.
• Richard Spikes invented the Automatic Gear Shift
• Dr. George F. Grant patented the wooden golf tee
• Joseph Gammell invented the Super Charge System for Internal Combustion Engines
• Garrett A. Morgan invented the Traffic Signal
• Elbert R. Robinson invented the Rapid Transit System
• Alexander Mils, invented the Elevator
• Charles Brooks invented the Street Sweeper
• John Love invented the Pencil Sharpener
• William Purvis invented the Fountain Pen and the Hand Stamp
• Lee Burridge invented the Type Writing Machine
• A.C. Richardson invents a churn
• W. A. Lovette invented the Advanced Printing Press
• William Barry invented the Postmarking and Canceling Machine
• Phillip Downing invented the Letter Drop
• Joseph Smith invented the Lawn Sprinkler
• John Burr invented the Lawn Mower
• Frederick Jones invented the Air Conditioner
• Alice Parker invented the Heating Furnace
• Lewis Latimer invented the Electric Lamp
• Michael Harvey invented the Lantern
• Granville T. Woods invented the Automatic Cut Off Switch
• Thomas W. Steward invented the Mop
• Lloyd P. Ray, the Dust Pan
• Jan E. Matzelinger invented the Shoe Lasting Machine
• Walter Sammons invented the Comb
• Sarah Boone invented the Ironing Board
• George T. Samon invented the Clothes Dryer
• John Standard invented the Refrigerator

What would this world be like without the contributions of African Americans?

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