an animated hall of fame by bria royal
Patents, the public record of an invention, can be very difficult to find due to their obscure naming and inconsistent attribution. This is especially true for black inventors who have historically not had access to filing patents or were not able to be fully credited for their contributions. Patents often include highly detailed artwork outlining the invention’s composition. The following animations were created to show a simplified view of how these objects work. Please join me on this journey in making the work of these inventors more accessible and discoverable, and honoring the impact of their creativity.
#572,849 - Lemon squeezer
John Thomas White invented the lemon squeezer for the purpose of efficiently making his own lemonade instead of buying it. Notably, John’s lemon squeezer captures and stores the juice without the need for additional kitchenware.
The #blackpatentproject seeks to make information about black inventors and their inventions more accessible and discoverable, and honor the impact of their creativity.
#4,095,791 - Cartridge programmable video game apparatus
Two black engineers, Jerry Lawson and Ron Jones, led the design for the first video game system to store software on cartridges. This invention would later be cited by Atari and many others.
The #blackpatentproject seeks to make information about black inventors and their inventions more accessible and discoverable, and honor the impact of their creativity.
#4,354,643 - Bathroom tissue holder
What made Mary Kenner’s bathroom tissue holder innovative was its bar that keeps the loose end hanging free. She invented many bathroom related items throughout her career and often collaborated with her sister, Mildred Smith.
The #blackpatentproject seeks to make information about black inventors and their inventions more accessible and discoverable, and honor the impact of their creativity.
#1,475,024 - Traffic signal
Garrett Morgan’s traffic signal is perhaps one of the most well known inventions with a black creator. He was also considered a leader in his community and led a number of initiatives to promote black employment.
The #blackpatentproject seeks to make information about black inventors and their inventions more accessible and discoverable, and honor the impact of their creativity.
#6,596,281 - Pager belt buckle device
Gerald Thomas is “a buckle designer” who was fascinated with the idea of wearable technology after seeing clients constantly drop their electronic devices while trying on his clothing.
The #blackpatentproject seeks to make information about black inventors and their inventions more accessible and discoverable, and honor the impact of their creativity.
#5,074,437 - Pinch trigger pump water gun
Lonnie Johnson invented the Super Soaker in his off time working as an engineer for the US Air Force and NASA. The Super Soaker is still one of the world’s best selling toys of all time.
The #blackpatentproject seeks to make information about black inventors and their inventions more accessible and discoverable, and honor the impact of their creativity.
#639,692 - Amusement apparatus.
Granville T. Woods is most known for his contributions to electrical railway systems, but he also invented the mechanism for slot car racing.
The #blackpatentproject seeks to make information about black inventors and their inventions more accessible and discoverable, and honor the impact of their creativity.
#1,716,173 - Scalp protector
Well known for her Permanent Waving Machine, a lesser known companion invention of Marjorie Stewart Joyner is the Scalp protector, to be used as a barrier from the heat of the curling irons.
The #blackpatentproject seeks to make information about black inventors and their inventions more accessible and discoverable, and honor the impact of their creativity.
