Pt. 2 Garrett Morgan - Saving lives one invention at time. #BlackHistory

Part 2! of Garrett Morgan! Garrett was the born to former slaves on March 4, 1877 in Kentucky. Please check out Part 1 of Garrett Morgan to find more about his other inventions.

While driving, Garrett witnessed a terrible car accident. After, Garrett replayed the situation in his mind and realized that the roads were dangerous. Garrett felt it was necessary to improve the current conditions... He came up with an invention that would be beyond beneficial. Garrett Morgan invented the automatic stop light. 

Although manually operated traffic signals existed at most major intersections, they were not as effective because they switched back and forth to either 'stop' or 'go'. 

Can you imagine the chaos they could cause. A light to say GO (Green Light)... and suddenly a light to say STOP (Red Light)! Garrett Morgan took it upon himself to create a warning light, better known as the Yellow Light! 

Check out his patent below! 

This was a live saving idea/invention! Garrett went on to sell his patent to General Electric for $ 40,000! 

Thank you Garrett Morgan for all that you've done!

photo source

Pt. 1 Garrett Morgan - Saving lives one invention at time. #BlackHistory

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