TRIBUNAL AII^
A VIABLE, VALID REQUIREMENT
RESPONDING TO
BLACK NORTH CAROLINA
VOLLMEIV, NO. 6 YSTDNESDAY . JULY 14.1976
s6.ooper\i;aji
25 CENTS
MEMBER: North Carolina Black Publishers Association
North Carolina Press Association. Inc.
The 1976 Editions of THE TRIBUNAL AID wUl
be dedicated to America s bicentennial Cele
bration. u ith emphasis on contributions our Race
has male in the making of America, from
birth t(» frhe oresent.
In 1976 there should not be a need to lift these
contributions from isolated sources. Our past
should ne inter>\o>en into the fabric of our ci
vilization. Ix'cause we are, except for the Indian.
America’s oldest ethnic minority.
\^e have heli>ed make America what it was.
and \>hat it is. since the founding of \ irginia.
e ha\e been a factor in many major issues in
our histor>. There have been many misdeeds
against us. \et \»e have been able to live through
them and tight back. This is living proof of our
histon.
Our role in the making of America is neither
\>fll known or correctly known. Many positive
M>ntributit>ns have escaped historians and have i
not found their wa> into the pages of many
histor> books.
\^e will strive to give readers. Black and
white, many little-known facts al>out our past
and it is hoped that a proper perspective of our
historv will be of value to persons who may
believe that as Black people we have an un-
v\orthv past: and hence, no strong claims to
all rights of other Aint'ricans.
ACHIEVEMENTS BY BLACK AMERICAN INVENTORS
By Faye Ashe, Black History Editor
In the midst of the economic development
of the United States since the Civil War,
Blacks not only demonstrated their ability
to accumulate a portion of the world's
goods, but by their inventive genius con
tributed much toward the economic pro
gress of the country. Exactly how many
Blacks have appeared in the field of inven
tions is not known. There is evidence that
some of the inventions brought out by white
persons in the South prior to the Civil War
vere devices invented by Blacks. The slave
such, according to an opinion of Jere-
aiah S. Black, Attorney-General of the
United States in 1858, could not be granted
a patent. The reason was that the slave
could neither contract with the government
or assign his invention to his master.
Confronting this problem, when Ben
jamin T. Montgomery, a slave of Jefferson
Davis, was on this ground denied a patent
on an invention, the President of the Con
federate States secured the enactment of
the law providing for patenting inventions
of slaves. This law was: AND BE IT
FURTHER ENACTED, THAT IN CASE
THE ORIGINAL INVENTOR OR DIS
COVERER OF THE ART, MACHINE OR
IMPROVEMENT FOR WHICH A PATENT
IS SOLICITED IS A SLAVE, THE MASTER
OF SUCH SLAVE MAY TAKE OATH
THAT THE SAID SLAVE WAS THE
ORIGINAL; AND ON COMPLYING WITH
THE REQUISTES OF THE LAW SHALL
RECEIVE A PATENT FOR SAID DIS
COVERY OR INVENTION, AND HAVE
ALL RIGNTS TO WHICH A PATENTEE IS
ENTITLED BYLAW.
Many Blacks were among those who pro
duced electrical, mechanical, and tele
phonic equipment. Before the turn of the
19th century, Blacks had patented hun
dreds of inventions. They produced every
thing from new kinds of elevators to photo
graphic and telegraphic equipment to
refrigerators, golf tees, and modern bath
room fixtures.
Elijah McCoy, son of runaway
slaves, held many patents. His
lubricating cup was the first
“real McCoy.'”
ELIJAH McCOY, the son of runaway
slaves, [clayed a prominent role in the
development of transporation and factory
machinery. In 1872 McCoy, educated in
Scotland as a mechanical engineer, invent
ed a lubricating cup that fed oil to parts of
a machine while it was in operation. This
made it pussible for locomotives, steam
boilers, a. d factory machinery to be oiled
with in'errupting their operations. McCoy
received more than 57 patents for his
various devices.
„ LEWIS HOWARD LATIMER, who
worked with bothe Alexander Graham Bell
and Thomas Edison, was born to a poor
Boston family in 1848. To help support the
family, and at the same time in further the
cause of emancipation, he sold copies of
William Lloyd Garrison's The Liberator on
the street. When he was 16, LATIMER
joined the United States Navy and served
aboard the U.S.S. Massasoit during the
Civil War. After the war, he returned to
Boston where he began work as an office
boy in company of patent lawyers. He rose
to the position of chief draftsman for the
firm.
Around 1876 Latimer, then an expert
electrical engineer and draftsman, met
Alexander Graham Bell. Some of the
people who knew Latimer in the early days
said; "It was Latimer who executed the
drawings and assisted in preparing the
applications for the telephone patents of
Alexander Graham Bell." He left Bell to
Lewis Howard Latimer assisted
Bell and Edison.
join the United States Electric Lighting
Company at Bridgeport, Connecticut where
with the noted inventor Hirman S. Maxim,
he invented ah incadescent electric light
and supervised'the building of manufactur
ing plants in New York, Philadelphia, and
Canada. Latimer joined the engineering
staffof the Edison Electric Company in
1884. He worked with Edison for many
years, becoming the only Black member of
the famous Edison Pioneers, a group of
people who had worked with edision before
1885. In 1890 Latimer wrote a book explain
ing, to the general public the use and work
ings of the electric light. Latimer also
porved invaluable to the legal department
of the Edison Company. He had usually
drawn the original plans for Edison inven
tions and served as the company's star
witness in patent cases that reached the
courts.
During the close of the last century
GRANVILLE T. WOOD supassed every
other inventor of his race in the number and
variety of his devices. His record began in
Cincinnati, Ohio in 1884. WOODS directed
his inventive talents toward improvements
in the railroad and electrical industries. He
invented a telegraph system that made it
possible to send messages between moving
trains, thus reducing the danger of acci
dents. His invention of an automatic air
brake brought greater safety to the nation's
railroads. WOODS also contributed to the
development of the "third rail" used in
electrical railroads.
He invented devices which he sold to Bell
Edision and Westinghouse. In two patent
cases against the Edisoli Company,
Woods was able to prove that he had earlier
rights to inventions claimed by Edison.
After the second court victory, Thomas
Edison offered WOODS a position which he
turned down preferring to be his own boss.
In 1888 the AMERICAN CATHOLIC
TRIBUNE called Woods "the greatest
electrican in the world.' WOODS is un
known today, but he was highly thought of
in his own time.
Granville T. Woods
invented devices pur
chased by Bell,
Westinghouse, and
Edison.
JAN MATZELIGER never received the
recognition due an important inventor. In
1883, when he was thirty years ond, he
invented a machine which combined so
many steps that it practically manufactured
an entire shoe in one operation. The
machine he devised became the basis for
the multimillion-dollar growth of the United
Shoe Company which bought his invention.
Yet MATZELIGER sold it for very little and
like many other inventors, died a poor man,
at the age of 36.
The most noted Black inventor of the
modern period was GARRETT A. MOR
GAN. inventor of the GAS MASK. In
1923 MORGAN invented the TRAFFIC
UGHT. a complicated device with a simple
purpose, the invention has saved many
lives from that day on.
Some other inventions of Blacks of less
consequence were of much value: J. H.
DICKINSON and S.L. DICKINSON, were
granted a dozen patents for mechanical
appliances used in the PLAYER PIANO
MACHINERY. W.B. PURVIS invented
machinery for making PAPER BAGS
later sold to the LNION PAPER BAG
COMPANY OF NEW YORK. A.B.AL—
BERT invented a cotton-picking machine.
CHARLES V. RICHEY INVENTED AND
PATENTED SEVERAL DEVICES FOR
RE(;iSTERIN(; CALLS AND DETECTING
THE LNATHORIZED USE OF THE
TELEPHONE. SHELBY J. DAVIDSON
invented a MECHANICAL TABULATOR
OR ADDING MACHINE. ROBERT A.
PELHAM. A PASTING MACHINE and
ANDREW F. HILYER, TWO HOT-AIR
REGISTER ATTACHMENTS. BENJAMIN
F. JACKSON invneted a HEAT APPARA—
TUS. A GAS BURNER, AN ELECTRO—
TYPER S FURNACE. A STEAM BOILER.
Jan Matzeliger, inventor of the machine
that revolutionized the shoe industry and
made Lynn, Massachusetts the shoe
capital of the world. Government ex
perts, baffled by his patent drawings,
sent a specialist to examine the machine.
Matzeliger died young and poor after
working ten years to develop his device.
A TROLLEY HEEL CONTROLLER.
A TANK SIGNAL AND A HYDROCARBON
BURNER SYSTEM. FRANK J. FERRELL
OF New York obtained a sozen patents
for IMPRONEMENTS IN VALVES FOR
STEAM KN(;iNES. (^EOKGE W. MUR
RAY; a former member of Congress
from South Carolina, patented eight
inventions of AGRICULTURAL IMPLE
MENTS. HENRY KREAMER of New York
made several inventions in STEAM TRAPS.
WILLIAM DOUGLASS, secured six pa
tents for inventions of HARVESTING
MACHINERY. JAMES DOYLE devised
the automatic serving system so as to
dispense with the use of waiters in cafes.
J. L. PICKERIING, JAMES SMITH. W.G.
MADISON AND H.E. HOOTER were
granted patents for inventions in AIR
SHIPS. In 1897 ANDREW J. BEARD
WAS GIVEN A PATENT FOR AN AUTO
MATIC CAR COUPLING DEVICE and sold
it to a New York Car Company for more
than S.'iO.OOO. WILLIAM H. JOHNSON
invented a successful device for OVER
COMING DEAD CENTER IN MOTION.
While keeping a hotel in Boston, JOSEPH
LEE patented three inventions for KEED-
ING DOUGH. BRIISAY SMART invented
a number of RESERVE VALVE GEARS.
J.W. BENTON invented a DERRICK FOR
HOISTING HEAVY WEIGHTS. JOHN T.
PARKER invented SCREWS FOR TOBAC
t:0 PRF>SES with which he established a
thriving business as the RIPLEY F’OUNI)
RY AND MACHINE COMPANY of Rip
ley, Ohio.
The complete story of the early Black
Inventors cannot be told because pre
judice has blurred the picture. When
inventors found that many people would
not accept their inventions when it was
learned they were Black, many concealed
their identities. A Navel Cadet who left
Annap lis because of racial prejudice,
HF^NRY E. BAKER,Assistant Examiner
of the United Stales Patent Office for
many years conducted a long and careful
investigation ol Black inventors. In 1900
published his first finding in four giant
volumes which include the actual drawings
and plans submitted to the patent office
by Black inventors prior to the turn of the
century. The book titled: THE COLORED
EVVENTORS-A RECORD OF FIFTY
YEARS. BY HENRY HAKER, ASSIS
TANT EXAMINER UNITED STATES
PATENT OFFICE.
This is a part of our History which has
been “LOST, STRAYED OR STOLEN".
Our recent history still abounds with
individual Black heroes in medicine,
engineering, and science. With the general
INVENTIONS THAT INFLUENCED PEOPLE'S DAILY LIVES
INVENTOR
INVENTION
DATE
Bailiff, C, 0.
Shampoo headrest
1898
Bailey, L. C.
Folding bed
1899
Binga, M. W.
Street sprinlder
1879
Boone, Sarah
Ironing board
1892
Brooks, C. B.
Street sweepers
1896
Burr, J. A.
Lawn mower
1899
Church, T. S.
Carpet beating machine
1884
Elkins, T.
Combination of dining, ironing table and quilting frame
1870
Chamber commode
1872
Faulkner, H,
Ventilated shoe
1890
Fisher, D. A.
Joiner’s clamp and furniture castor
1875
Goode, Sarah
Folding cabinet bed
1886
Jackson, B. F.
Heater and
1898
Gas burner
1899
Latimer, L. H.
Incandescent electric light bulb with carbon filament
1881
Lewis, A, L.
Window cleaner
1892
Miles, A.
Elevator
1887
Newson, S.
Cooker
1894
Purvis, W. B.
Fountain pen
1890
Ray, L. P.
Dust pan
1897
Smith, J. W.
Lawn sprinkler
1897
Standard, J.
Oil stove and
1889
Refrigerator
1891
Thomas, S. E.
Waste trap for basins
1887
White, J. T.
Lemon squeezer
1896
Ko. 795,243. PATENTED JULY 18, IM5.
G. T. & L. WOODS.
RAILWAY BBAKB APPARATUS.
ArrLioATioi riLSD An. lo. i*oi.
surge of Black people into scientific oc
cupations, there remain the individuals
whose work is extraordinary today. B.V.
MONTEZ has developed many ELEC
TRONIC DEVICES such as TAPE RE
CORDERS, LISTENING AIDS, RECEIV
ERS FOR HELMETS OF PRO FOOTBALL
PLAYERS. EMANUEL MOORE designed
EARTH MOVING MACHINE which can
deliver twice as much as conventional
excavators. SGT. ADOLPHUS SAMMS
has several patented ROCKET DESIGNS.
The work of Black American scientist
and technicians continues adding to the
already proud legacy.
(Ig Hodal.) 4 ih«U-ik»t I.
H. L. JONES.
OOSK ajiSTESTBS.
No. 426,311. Patented Jun« 3, 1880.
9.
REFKRKNCKS: THE BLACK BOf)K.
Intrixluction by Bill (^osby. Random House
c. 1974
BRAWLEY. BENJAMIN. A SHORT
HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN NEGRO.
4th RE\. ED. MACMILLAN CO. NEW'
YORK. 1944
KATZ. ^MLLLIAM LORAN. EYE\1HT—
NE.SS; THE NE(,RO IN AMERICAN
HI.STORY. PITMAN PUB. CO. NEY
YORK. 1967
\E(,RO YEAR BOOK (ED. MONROE
N. W ORK) 19.'{7-.'}8 pp. 12-13.
WOODSON. CARTER (i. THE NEGRO
IN OUR HISTORY 10th ED. ASSOCIATED
PIBLISHERS. INC. WASHINGTON.
D.C.1922.
1776 Honoring America's Bicentennial