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Alki Lodge #152, Free and Accepted Masons of Washington
The Consolidation of West Seattle Lodge, Service Lodge, and Alki Lodge

Black History Month: Fast Facts

Elijah McCoy

Elijah McCoy (1843–1929) invented an oil-dripping cup for trains.

Fast Fact: Other inventors tried to copy McCoy's oil-dripping cup. But none of the other cups worked as well as his, so customers started asking for "the real McCoy." That's where the expression comes from

Lewis Latimer

Lewis Latimer (1848–1928) invented an important part of the light bulb — the carbon filament.

Fast Fact: Latimer worked in the laboratories of both Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell.

Image Credits: Queensborough Public Library, Long Island Division, www.blackinventor.com

Jan Ernst Matzeliger

Jan Ernst Matzeliger (1852–1889) invented a shoemaking machine that increased shoemaking speed by 900%!

Fast Fact: In 1992, the U.S. made a postage stamp in honor of Matzeliger.

Image Credits: United Shoe Machinery Corporation, www.blackinventor.com.

George Washington Carver

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

Fast Fact: Carver was born a slave. He didn't go to college until he was 30.

Image Credits: AP/Wide World, PhotoDisc.

Garrett Morgan

Garrett Morgan (1877–1963) invented the gas mask.

Fast Fact: Morgan also invented the first traffic signal

Image Credits: AP/Wide World, Corbis.

Dr. Patricia E. Bath

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

Fast Fact: Dr. Bath has been nominated to the National Inventors Hall of Fame

Image Credits: St. George's University, Corbis.

Please send any additions and corrections to WB David Brown (webmasterdave@alki152.org).