Doctor Patricia Bath, an
ophthalmologist from New
York, was living in Los Angeles
when she received her first
patent, becoming the first
African American female
doctor to patent a medical
invention. Patricia Bath's
patent (#4,744,360) was for a
method for removing cataract
lenses that transformed eye
surgery by using a laser device
making the procedure more
accurate.
Otis Boykin is best known for inventing an improved
electrical resistor used in computers, radios, television
sets and a variety of electronic devices. His resistor
helped reduce the cost of those products. Otis Boykin
also invented a variable resistor used in guided missile
parts, a control unit for heart stimulators, a burglar-proof
cash register and a chemical air filter. In total, Otis Boykin
patented twenty-eight electronic devices.
Elijah McCoy was issued more than 57 patents for
his inventions during his lifetime. His best known
invention was a cup that fed lubricating oil to
machine bearings through a small bore tube.
Machinists and engineers who wanted genuine
McCoy lubricators might have used the expression
"the real McCoy."
African American, Lyda
Newman of New York, New
York patented a new and
improved hair brush on
November 15, 1898. Lydia
Newman designed a brush that
was easy to keep clean, very
durable and easy to make, and
provided ventilation during
brushing by having recessed air
chambers.
Valerie Thomas received a patent in 1980 for
inventing an illusion transmitter. This futuristic
invention extends the idea of television, with its
images located flatly behind a screen, to having
three dimensional projections appear as though
they were right in your living room. Perhaps in the
not-so-distant future, the illusion transmitter will
be as popular as the TV is today.
Luis E. Miramontes was a Mexican chemist
known as the co-inventor of the
progestin used in one of the first two oral
contraceptives. AKA(Birth Control Pill)
Although better known for her Silver Screen
exploits, Austrian actress Hedy Lamarr (born
Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler) also became a pioneer
in the field of wireless communications following
her emigration to the United States. The
international beauty icon, along with co-inventor
George Anthiel, developed a "Secret
Communications System" to help combat the
Nazis in World War II. By manipulating radio
frequencies at irregular intervals between
transmission and reception, the invention formed
an unbreakable code to prevent classified
messages from being intercepted by enemy
personnel.
African American, Sarah Boone, patented an
improvement to the ironing board (U.S. Patent
#473,653) on April 26, 1892. Sarah Boone's ironing
board was designed to be effective in ironing the
sleeves and bodies of ladies' garments. As you can
see from the patent drawing below, Sarah Boone's
board was very narrow and curved, the size and fit
of a sleeve, and it was reversible, making it easy to
iron both sides of a sleeve.
Benjamin Banneker was a self-educated scientist,
astronomer, inventor, writer, and antislavery
publicist. He built a striking clock entirely from wood,
published a Farmers' Almanac, and actively
campaigned against slavery. He was one of the first
African Americans to gain distinction in science.
John Thompson invented lingo programming used in
Macromedia Director and Shockwave. According John
Thompson, "Lingo is a scripting language in the
Macromedia Director authoring tool. The content
created with Macromedia Director is delivered on the
World Wide Web as shockwave movies."