Sarah Boone - blackinventor.com

Sarah Boone

An African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. She founded a hair and beauty supply company aimed at Black consumers and was heralded by the the Guinness Book of World Records as the first female self-made millionaire in America.

Pioneer/Entrepreneur

Sarah Boone received a patent on April 26, 1892 for a device which would help to neatly iron clothing. This device, the predecessor to our modern ironing board was made of a narrow wooden board, with collapsible legs and a padded cover and was specifically designed for the fitted clothing worn during that time period.

Prior to her inventions, people were forced to resort to simply using a table or being creative in laying a plank of wood across two chairs or small tables.

Percy Julian

A pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants, including a synthetic form of cortisone

Garrett Morgan

Invented a three-position traffic signal and an early version of a gas mask

Charles Drew

A pioneer in the field of blood transfusions who developed improved techniques for blood storage.

Elijah McCoy

Invented lubrication systems for steam engines. His devices were referred to as “The Real McCoy.”

Daniel Hale Williams

A surgeon who performed what is considered the first successful heart surgery.

Videos About Sarah Boone

Madam C.J. Walker - blackinventor.com
Madam C.J. Walker - blackinventor.com

From Dreams Comes Success

Walker remembered that the formula for her hair grower came to her in a dream: “God answered my prayer, for one night I had a dream, and in that dream a big Black man appeared to me and told me what to mix up for my hair. Some of the remedy was grown in Africa, but I sent for it, mixed it, put it on my scalp, and in a few weeks my hair was coming in faster than it had ever fallen out. I tried it on my friends; it helped them. I made up my mind I would begin to sell it.”

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Other Notable Inventors

Jan Matzeliger

Patented a shoe lasting machine, increasing the speed of shoe production.

Lewis Latimer

Developed an improved process for manufacturing carbon filaments for light bulbs

Garrett Morgan

Invented a three-position traffic signal and an early version of a gas mask

Elijah McCoy

Invented lubrication systems for steam engines. His devices were referred to as “The Real McCoy.”