African American Inventors

Inventors Gallery

• Benjamin Banneker

  Built one of America’s first clocks entirely from wood and published almanacs with precise astronomical calculations.

• Elijah McCoy

  Created an automatic lubricating cup for steam engines that inspires the phrase “the real McCoy.”

• Frederick McKinley Jones

  Developed mobile refrigeration systems for trucks and military medical supplies, transforming food logistics.

• Garrett A. Morgan

  Invented the three-signal traffic light and the gas mask used in World War I, saving countless lives.

• Granville T. Woods

  Nicknamed “The Black Edison,” he patented over 50 electrical and railway innovations, including the multiplex telegraph.

• Lewis Latimer

  Improved the carbon filament in light bulbs, making electric lighting practical and affordable for households worldwide.

• Lonnie G. Johnson

  NASA engineer and inventor of the Super Soaker and advanced energy systems for renewable power generation.

• Mark E. Dean

  Helped develop the IBM PC architecture and color monitor and holding three of IBM’s original nine PC patents.

• Norbert Rillieux

  Invented the multiple-effect evaporator, revolutionizing sugar refining and setting new safety standards in industry.

• Otis Boykin

  Invented precision resistors used in computers, radios, and pacemakers which are critical to modern electronics.

• Patricia Bath

  Invented the Laserphaco Probe for cataract treatment which restored vision for millions and transformed ophthalmology.

• Sarah E. Goode

  Invented the folding cabinet bed, an early form of the Murphy bed, and became the first Black woman granted a U.S. patent (1885).

• Thomas L. Jennings

  First African American granted a U.S. patent (1821) for his dry-scouring method, an early form of dry cleaning.

• Valerie Thomas

  NASA physicist who invented the Illusion Transmitter, pioneering 3D imaging and holographic display technology.