Garrett Augustus Morgan Sr. (March 4, 1887 – August 27, 1963) was an African-American inventor, activist, publisher, and entrepreneur whose inventions saved thousands of lives. Born and raised in Paris, Kentucky as the only child of freed slaves, Morgan realized his passion for mechanics early in life. Having only received a sixth grade education, he used his practical knowledge to work odd jobs that allowed him to work with machinery. He moved to Cleveland in 1895 and held several roles as a sewing-machine adjuster before launching his own business.
He opened a sewing machine shop in 1907, a tailoring shop in 1909, and the G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Co. to sell a hair-straightening solution in 1913. Later on, he invented the safety hood, which was a precursor to the gas mask in 1912, to protect people from inhaling smoke and ammonia. This device was used to rescue people in the Cleveland Waterworks explosion. This led to the National Safety Device Co. in 1914 and a patent in the same year. In order to sell this in the south, he had to use an actor friend to portray being the inventor while he demonstrated that his masks worked.
He also witnessed a car accident that prompted one of his greatest inventions, the three-way traffic signal in 1923, which he patented and sold to General Electric Co. for $40,000. GE then developed an electric version, which many today recognize. This invention has been hailed as the blueprint for modern traffic control systems.
He founded several civic leaning groups in his life. In 1908 he founded the Cleveland Assoc. Of Colored Men, in 1920 he founded a weekly Black newspaper: the Cleveland Call, and he opened an all-black country club. He lived out the rest of his days in Cleveland and was an advocate for racial justice. He passed away in 1963 and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005. His life was dedicated to making life better for others through his inventions.
References:
- https://www.ite.org/about-ite/history/honorary-members/garrett-a-morgan/
- https://www.invent.org/inductees/garrett-morgan
- https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/morgan_hi.html
- https://case.edu/ech/articles/m/morgan-garrett
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/morgan-garrett-sr-1877-1963/
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