Today in history – July 12, 1872 -  Elijah McCoy created an invention that has made him arguably the most notable African American inventor ever. His birth date is still unknown although the date is speculated by many sources ranging from March 27, 1843 to May 2, 1844. His story would not have been possible [...]

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Today in History-March 3, 1831–Thomas Jennings became the first African-American to receive a patent for his invention of ‘dry-scouring’, a process better known today as dry-cleaning. As a free man, he established a local business in New York in which he sold clothing. However, customers became disgruntled that there was no means to effectively clean [...]

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Today in History- March 1, 1864- Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first African American woman to receive a medical degree and the only to receive a degree at the New England Female Medical College, which closed in 1873. Dr. Crumpler was born in Delaware to Absolum Davis and Matilda Webber in 1831. Interestingly enough, the [...]

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Today in History – February 10, 1874 – Water-closed railway cars patented by Lewis Latimer, U.S. patent (No. 147,363). Latimer is better known for his patents for improvement in incandescent electric lamps while working for Edison. In 1890 he published Incandescent Electric Lighting, a technical engineering book which became a guide for lighting engineers. February [...]

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Today in History – December 23, 1867 – Birth of first self-made millionairess (Sarah Breedlove for hair straightner invention, products and services). Born in poverty in 1867 (left graphic is of her birth house) on the shores of the Mississippi River in northeast Louisiana, her parents died of ‘yellow fever‘ while she was a young [...]

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