Garrett
Morgan
was born to former slaves on March 4, 1877 in Kentucky. At an early age
Garrett set out to find opportunity for a better life. Garrett found work as a sewing
machine repair man and was known for fixing things. Through the years he saved up enough money to start his own sewing machine equipment-repair
business. Garrett invented the zig-zag stitching attachment for manually
operated sewing machines, established a tailoring business as well as personal
grooming business (which is responsible for creating the curved tooth pressing comb and black oil air hair dye). Garrett’s creative thinking allowed him to employ over a
dozen employees and was a great business leader who overcame many obstacles and all with a 6th grade education.  |
| Newsboys for the Cleveland Call & Post |
Garrett
later on went to work with a team of people to establish a newspaper called the
Cleveland Call & Post,
which served the black community in Cleveland. BUT what changed the game for
Garrett was his invention of the safety hood better known as the gas mask.
There
was an terrible explosion in an underground tunnel beneath Lake Erie. Not only
did Garret go in with a team of volunteers to rescue the victims but they
also used his new gas mask. Garret invented a gas mask that would be used by
many fire departments and during WWI. Garrett’s mask was known as the Morgan
Gas Mask/Safety Hood. Garrett Morgan invented the Safety
Hood and Smoke Protector and later refined
his early gas mask. He won a medal at the International Exposition of
Sanitation and Safety, and another medal from the International Association of
Fire Chiefs.
Stay
tuned to Part 2 of Garrett Morgan’s invention... saving one life at a time.
photo source: Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, The Western Reserve Historical Society
No comments:
Post a Comment