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(Part 9ph of 11)
Lewis Howard Latimer was born in 1848. He began his prolific career as an office boy for the patent firm, Crosby and Gould. He taught himself how to draw and became the firm's chief draftsman. He continued to teach himself and became a self-taught electrical engineer. This was during the time when most white people in America did not know how to read or write.
In February 1881, less than 20 years after european africans supposedly gave god-given rights back to african prisoners of war, Lewis Latimer helped shed light on the entire world by improving the carbon filament for the Maxim electric incandescent lamp. Mr. Latimer's new version, which could be made from either cotton thread or bamboo, lasted a lot longer and paved the way for the mass production of light bulbs. which made them more affordable, thus changed the way people lived. Latimer received his patent in 1882 and, likely due to a promise lie, Latimer assigned his patent to his employer, U. S. Electric Lighting Company founded by Hiram Stevens Maxim, Edward Weston and Moses Farmer.
In 1890, Latimer's book, "Incandescent Electric Lighting" was the first comprehensive text on lighting. It was so highly regarded, it became the "bible" for electrical engineers. This is similar to the impact Elijah McCoy had on the railroad industry with his Real McCoy. After learning of Latimer's invention and interests, Thomas Edison asked Latimer to become a charter member of the Edison Pioneers, a research team of distinguished scientists and inventors. In contrast to the norm of the times, Latimer was allowed to serve as expert witness for the Edison Company on all Patent Defense Cases. He also supervised the installation of electric light systems in several cities.
Additionally, Latimer performed all of Alexander Graham Bell's telephone drafts and assisted in preparing the patent application. Lewis Latimer eventually served as chief draftsman for both General Electric and Westinghouse.
Additional References:
1. Black Inventors of America, Burt McKinley, Jr., 1989, National Book Company.
2. A Salute to Black Scientists and Inventors, Empak Enterprises, Inc., 1985, Volume II.
3. The Negro Almanac, Harry Ploski and James Williams, 4th Edition, 1983, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
4. Lewis Howard Latimer, Glennette Tilley Turner, 1991, Silver Burdett Press, Inc.
