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

John Albert Burr

Alexander Miles

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 (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.

Earl Lucas

Lonnie Johnson 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.

Benjamin Banneker

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

Dr. Shirley Jackson

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.

Maretta L. Johnson

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

Patricia Bath Born: Harlem,

New York  11-04-1952

Invention: Laser Removal

A method for removing cataract lenses, transformed eye surgery, using a laser device making the procedure more accurate.

Bessie Blount Bessie Blount Born: Hickory,

Virginia  1914 Invention:

portable receptacle support

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

Madam C.J. Walker

Born: Delta, Louisiana  Dec 23, 1867 -

Invention: Hair-Growing Lotion

Developing hair products for black women.