Top Ten Tuesday - 10 African American Inventors

In honor of African American History Month and inspired by The Top Ten African-American Inventors at Scholastic.com, here are 11 (in ten different books in the Dick Smith Library collection; click on the names for links) African-American inventors:

Elijah McCoy (1843–1929) invented an oil-dripping cup for trains and is the source for the expression "the real McCoy."

Lewis Latimer (1848–1928) invented the carbon filament in the light bulb.

Jan Ernst Matzeliger (1852–1889) invented a shoemaking machine that increased processing speed.

Granville T. Woods (1856–1910) invented a train-to-station communication system.

George Washington Carver (1860–1943) invented peanut butter and 400 plant products.

Madam C. J. Walker (1867–1919) invented a hair-growing lotion and became the first female African-American millionaire.

Garrett Morgan (1877–1963) invented the gas mask AND the first traffic signal.

Dr. Patricia E. Bath (1949–) invented a method of eye surgery that has helped many blind people see.

Lonnie G. Johnson (1949–) invented the well-known Supersoaker watergun.

Otis Boykin (1920–1982) invented 28 different electronic devices, including control devices for guided missiles, IBM computers, and the pacemaker.

John Dove (1924-2003) originated concepts used in making compact discs.

While you're in the library looking for these and other resources, check out the display in the library's lobbies for African American History Month, put together by Tarleton's Office of Diversity and Inclusion.