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Black Inventors

madam cj walker sits in the driver seat of an early car with the top down, a woman sits in the passenger seat, both women wear hats

11 Famous Black Inventors Who Changed Your Life

From Madam C.J. Walker’s hair care products Mark Dean’s computer innovations, the creations from these Black inventors continue to impact everyday life.

By Adrienne Donica
george washington carver

Did George Washington Carver Invent Peanut Butter?

lonnie johnson holding a super soaker and its us patent while sitting on the grass outside his home, june 1992

How Lonnie Johnson Invented the Super Soaker

George Washington Caver with Theodore Roosevelt

George Washington Carver’s Powerful Circle of Friends

madam cj walker

How Madam C.J. Walker Invented Her Hair Products

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dr marilyn gaston smiles down at the camera while standing with her arms crossed, she wears a red suit jacket, gold hoop earrings, a gold necklace, and a gold bracelet, her short hair is styled with loose curls, and her makeup includes soft red lipstick, in the background on the right is dr gayle porter who also has short hair and is smiling while looking away from the camera

Meet 8 Black Medical Pioneers Who Changed Health Care For Good

Charles Drew, Mary Mahoney, and James McNune Smith are among the African American pioneers in the medical profession.

By Colin McEvoy
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black and white photo of madam cj walker

Madam C.J. Walker

black and white image of garrett morgan, he wears a suit jacket, collared shirt, and tie and looks directly at camera

Garrett Morgan

black and white drawing of granville t woods

Granville T. Woods

percy julian in a tuxedo smiling at the camera

Percy Julian

elijah mccoy looks at the camera, he wears a jacket over a collared shirt and tie and has a full beard

Elijah McCoy

james west sits at a desk and looks at the camera, he holds a circular device in his hands, he wears a bright blue quarter zip top and glasses, behind him is a computer and window blinds

James West

portrait photograph of george washington carver looking to his left, he wears a suit

George Washington Carver

lonnie johnson stands behind a wooden lectern and speaks into a microphone, he wears a black suit jacket, maroon sweater, white collared shirt and tie, behind him is a screen projection showing two charts

Lonnie Johnson

Image no longer available

Lyda Newman

patricia bath smiles at the camera, she stands in front of a black background with white logos and wears a gray suit jacket with an orange, red, and black scarf, he holds one hand across her chest

Patricia Bath

lewis howard latimer stares at the camera in a black and white photo, he wears a suit with a patterned tie and wire framed glasses

Lewis Howard Latimer

mark dean looks at the camera, he wears a blue collared shirt

Mark Dean

More Black Inventors

inventor garrett morgan helping responders lift the body of a tunnel disaster victim while wearing his safety hood device on his back

Inventor Garrett Morgan’s Lifesaving 1916 Rescue

frederick mckinley jones, may 1949, by sharee marcus, minneapolis tribune, inventor

Frederick Jones

sarah boone stands for a portrait, she wears a dark dress with several buttons on the torso, her left hand rests on a chair back and her right hand rests on her hip with her elbow out

Sarah Boone

henry blair looks past the camera in a black and white photo, a uniform is just visible from his neck and shoulders

Henry Blair

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