When I think of slavery the question that often pops in my head is, "How many black inventors had their ideas stolen by the "oppressor" for personal gain?" This thought propelled me to research Black inventors.
*Everyone has a smoke detector in their home to alert them should the house catch on fire, right? But did you know a black man by the name of Sidney Jacoby, invented the smoke and heat detector?
Is Sidney Jacoby's Estate and family receiving royalties for his invention?
*Black inventor Henry Blair born in 1807, made the first seed planter in 1834, and the first cotton planter in 1836. There was much land to maintain and from dusk to dawn slaves maintained it. Selling cotton was profitable for masters in the South, however, profit was almost non-existent for the slaves who grew and picked it.
Is Henry Blair's Estate and family receiving royalties for his invention?
*Black inventor Dr. Patricia Bath (seen-r), an Ophthalmologist from New York, was the first African American woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical invention.
Bath's invention was called the Cataract Laser Phaco Probe. This extraordinary discovery helped to remove cataract lenses accurately with a laser device, while restoring sight to people who had been blind for over 30 years!
*Sarah Boone invented the ironing board.
*In 1839 Edmond Berger, invented car spark plugs to enable automobiles to start up.
*In 1899 John Albert Burr invented the lawn mower.
*In 1896 Charles Brooks invented improvements to street sweeper trucks, adding revolving brushes and front fender scrapers for snow pick up. Charles also designed the part of the truck which collects garbage and crushes it, using a special power lifting mechanism. Finally, Brooks invented the hole puncher which is widely used by train conductors, schools, businesses, and in homes.
Are these inventor's families receiving royalties for their contributions to society?
*Mr. Andrew Beard was born a slave on a plantation in Woodland, Alabama. In 1881, Beard invented the field plow and in 1892, he invented a rotary engine. In 1897, Beard invented the Jenny Coupler which is a carefully structured hook that connects train cars together. Amazing isn't it!?
Is Mr. Andrew Beard's family receiving royalties for his inventions?
*George Washington Carver (seen-r), was a
Agricultural Chemist in the 1800's. Carver discovered 300 uses for peanuts and over 100 uses for soybeans, pecans, and sweet potatoes!
Carver suggested his recipe of inventions to Southern farmers for adhesives, axle grease, bleach, buttermilk, chili sauce, fuel briquettes (which would promote sustainable human development, and preserve our environment with renewable energy if we invest in it now), ink, instant coffee, linoleum, mayonnaise, meat tenderizer, metal polish, paper, plastic, pavement, shaving cream, shoe polish, synthetic rubber, talcum powder and wood stain. Although Carver invented all these products, he only received 3 patents for only 3 inventions!
Who currently owns the rights to Carver's other products, and is his estate and family receiving royalties for his inventions?
*Everyone has a smoke detector in their home to alert them should the house catch on fire, right? But did you know a black man by the name of Sidney Jacoby, invented the smoke and heat detector?
Is Sidney Jacoby's Estate and family receiving royalties for his invention?
*Black inventor Henry Blair born in 1807, made the first seed planter in 1834, and the first cotton planter in 1836. There was much land to maintain and from dusk to dawn slaves maintained it. Selling cotton was profitable for masters in the South, however, profit was almost non-existent for the slaves who grew and picked it.
Is Henry Blair's Estate and family receiving royalties for his invention?
*Black inventor Dr. Patricia Bath (seen-r), an Ophthalmologist from New York, was the first African American woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical invention.
Bath's invention was called the Cataract Laser Phaco Probe. This extraordinary discovery helped to remove cataract lenses accurately with a laser device, while restoring sight to people who had been blind for over 30 years!
*Sarah Boone invented the ironing board.
*In 1839 Edmond Berger, invented car spark plugs to enable automobiles to start up.
*In 1899 John Albert Burr invented the lawn mower.
*In 1896 Charles Brooks invented improvements to street sweeper trucks, adding revolving brushes and front fender scrapers for snow pick up. Charles also designed the part of the truck which collects garbage and crushes it, using a special power lifting mechanism. Finally, Brooks invented the hole puncher which is widely used by train conductors, schools, businesses, and in homes.
Are these inventor's families receiving royalties for their contributions to society?
*Mr. Andrew Beard was born a slave on a plantation in Woodland, Alabama. In 1881, Beard invented the field plow and in 1892, he invented a rotary engine. In 1897, Beard invented the Jenny Coupler which is a carefully structured hook that connects train cars together. Amazing isn't it!?
Is Mr. Andrew Beard's family receiving royalties for his inventions?
*George Washington Carver (seen-r), was a
Agricultural Chemist in the 1800's. Carver discovered 300 uses for peanuts and over 100 uses for soybeans, pecans, and sweet potatoes! Carver suggested his recipe of inventions to Southern farmers for adhesives, axle grease, bleach, buttermilk, chili sauce, fuel briquettes (which would promote sustainable human development, and preserve our environment with renewable energy if we invest in it now), ink, instant coffee, linoleum, mayonnaise, meat tenderizer, metal polish, paper, plastic, pavement, shaving cream, shoe polish, synthetic rubber, talcum powder and wood stain. Although Carver invented all these products, he only received 3 patents for only 3 inventions!
Who currently owns the rights to Carver's other products, and is his estate and family receiving royalties for his inventions?
*Do you have 24 hour TV surveillance in your home? You can thank black inventor Marie Brown, who created the first video home security system on December 2, 1969.
*If you have a boiler in your home or apartment building, vacuum pumps, central air conditioning, and refrigerators, you can thank black inventor David Crosthwait. He invented the heating system for New York's famous Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center.
*If you have a boiler in your home or apartment building, vacuum pumps, central air conditioning, and refrigerators, you can thank black inventor David Crosthwait. He invented the heating system for New York's famous Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center.
Crosthwait was an expert with heat transfer, air ventilation, and central air conditioning. The current owner's of David Crosthwaits' inventions are 'Dunham-Bush' Inc., and has a main headquarters sitting in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Who is Dunham-Bush and how did they receive the rights to Crosthwait's inventions?
*Futuristic thinker and black inventor George Carruthers (seen-r), 
invented the far Ultraviolet Camera Spectrograph, which was the first of its kind to be taken to the moon by Apollo 16 and astronauts in 1972.
The camera allowed researchers to examine the Earth's atmosphere for concentrations of pollutants. Carruthers built the first telescope during young school years with teacher's often telling Carruthers, that his ideas and ways of thinking were "out in space". Ha! I guess they were right about the space part!
invented the far Ultraviolet Camera Spectrograph, which was the first of its kind to be taken to the moon by Apollo 16 and astronauts in 1972. The camera allowed researchers to examine the Earth's atmosphere for concentrations of pollutants. Carruthers built the first telescope during young school years with teacher's often telling Carruthers, that his ideas and ways of thinking were "out in space". Ha! I guess they were right about the space part!
Whether there is documentation of negotiation on patent ownership or not for these black inventors, we know for a fact the contracts couldn't have been fair given the time period in history. An investigation should be conducted into patent ownership rights regarding slave inventors, to make sure future generations of these successful inventors are rightfully receiving their inheritance, and if not contract negotiation should be on the table.
I find it disheartening that I wasn't taught any of this in school, but I'm overjoyed of my discovery -- and hopefully yours as well.
2008 LA
2008 LA
