John Albert Burr
On May 9, 1899, John Albert
Burr patented an improved
rotary blade lawn mower.
Burr designed a lawn mower
with traction wheels and a
rotary blade that was
designed to not easily get
plugged up from lawn
clippings. John Albert Burr
also improved the design of
lawn mowers by making it
possible to mow closer to
building and wall edges

Alexander Miles
improved the method of
the opening and closing
of elevator doors; and he
improved the closing of
the opening to the
elevator shaft when an
elevator was not on that
floor. Alexander Miles
created an automatic
mechanism that closed.
Born: Duluth,
Minnesota Unknown
 Invention: Electric
Elevator

Earl Lucas

Earl Lucas (1970- ), was born in Dallas,
Texas. He went to Booker T. Washington
High School and was in the arts
program. Initially, he was interested in
the 3-D process of making jewelry with
metal at the College for Creative Studies
in Detroit, Michigan. Two years into the
program, he switched from a crafts
major to industrial design. However, he
liked the field of transportation. In
college, he and some of his classmates
designed a van to transport elderly
riders. That job led to a job designing car
seats, panels for doors, and headliners
for an auto supplier. Then he really got a
dream job in Texas designing planes
owned by the wealthy Sultan of Brunei.
In the sultan's planes, he used real gold,
platinum, and all kinds of precious jewel
As a design manager for Ford, Lucas
works with three or four car designers.
Black Enterprise magazine notes that he
is one of 25 to 30 African-American car
designers in the world.
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Lonnie Johnson (born
October 6, 1949) is best 
known as the inventor of
the Super Soaker water 
gun. The top selling toy
in the United States in 
1991 and 1992, over 40
million Super Soakers
have generated over
$200 million in sales
since 1990. Today, many
websites are devoted to
them.
Lonnie Johnson
Born: Marietta,
Georgia Oct 6, 1949
Invention: Super Soaker
Water Gun
The super soaker was a
water gun that had a
large reservoir where you
could fill with lots of
water. Which gave kids
endless amounts of fun.

He built one of the first
watches made in
America, a wooden
pocket watch
Benjamin Banneker
Born: Ellicotts Mills,
Maryland 1731-1806
 Invention: Wooden
Pocket Watch

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Dr. Shirley Jackson
Born: Washington, D.C.
Invention: Portable Fax, Touch
Tone Telephone, Solar Cell,
And The Fiber Optic Cables

Jackson started to conduct
successful experiments in
theoretical physics and then
started to use her knowledge in
physics to start making advances
in telecommunications while
working at Bell Laboratories.
These inventions include
developments in the portable
fax, touch tone telephone, solar
cell, and the fiber optic cables
used to provide clarity in
overseas telephone calls. She
has also helped make possible
Caller ID and Call Waiting.

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Maretta L. Johnson
Born: Canton,
Georgia Oct 17,1967 Current
Invention: Total Travel
Baby

It is the first diaper bag
with a built-in bottle
warmer (battery
powered & car adapter),
storage cooler, garment
bag conversion, back
pack conversion and
plastic storage pouch for
soiled items. This is an
all-in-one travel bag for
parents
Patricia Bath
Born: Harlem, New
York 11-04-1952
 Invention: Laser
Removal

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
A method for removing
cataract lenses,
transformed eye
surgery, using a laser
device making the
procedure more
accurate.
Bessie Blount
Born: Hickory,
Virginia 1914
 Invention: portable
receptacle support

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
The electrical device
allowed a tube to
deliver one mouthful of
food at a time to a
patient in a wheelchair
or in a bed whenever
he or she bit down on
the tube.
Madam C.J. Walker
Born: Delta,
Louisiana Dec 23,
1867  Invention: HairGrowing Lotion


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Developing hair
products for black
women.