Display visitors read about inventions which were created during the 19th century. Photo by Andrew Hartnett
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Over 100 African American inventors’ work throughout the years were on display Feb. 23. The display, from the Institute of Black Invention and Technology showcased biographical information about the inventors, drawings and schematics of the inventions, and actual inventions for visitors to see.
Inventions made during the 19th century by African Americans were on display. Photo by Andrew Hartnett.
African American inventors Lonnie G. Johnson, right, and Pamela Price, left, have created products which people all over the world use today. Johnson accidentally invented “The Super Soaker” when he was working at home on a refrigeration system that used water instead of Freon gas. When he hooked his device into the bathroom sink, it caused water to shoot out with such force that Johnson believed it would make a great water pistol. He received a patent for his invention on October 14, 1983. Price created a product called the “Ding-Stopper”, which is a high density material that absorbs the impact of the door of a vehicle parked next to you. Photo by Andrew Hartnett
The Channel F System II was created by video game pioneer Jerry Lawson in the 1970’s. It was the first cartridge based video game console, which subsequently had influence on future gaming consoles. Photo by Andrew Hartnett
Display visitors read about inventions which were created during the 19th century. Photo by Andrew Hartnett
Inventions that were created by African Americans during the mid 19th century had a profound impact on modern life. Photo by Andrew Hartnett
Modern products created by African American inventors were also on display. Photo by Andrew Hartnett
Artifacts from 19th century United States were displayed on a table. Left: posters advertising the sale of slaves and other items were common during the period. Middle: a bill from North Carolina featured a slave picking cotton. Underneath, a piece of cotton lies on the table. Right: a large, wooden mortar and pestle was one of the tools brought over from Africa to the United States. It was used for “polishing the rice”, a term used to describe separating the rice kernels from their husks. They were also used for grinding corn meal, making wheat flour, and making peanut butter.
Photo by Andrew Hartnett.
