Garret Augustus Morgan, born on March 4, 1877, was an extremely influential person, minimizing the amount of auto accidents and collisions on the road today, among other things. Morgan was the inventor of the origin of the traffic light and gas mask, among other useful inventions. He was a member of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), invented a plethora of useful items, and made lots of significant contributions to the public using his intellect and inventions.
As a child, he worked on a farm and worked with his brothers and sisters in Kentucky. Still a teen, Morgan moved to Cincinnati, Ohio searching for a job. During his teenage years, he worked for a wealthy Cincinnati land-owner, like most other African Americans his age. At the age of 18, he moved yet again to Cleveland, where he worked as a sewing machine repairman. From then on, he tried to invent gadgets to make his job easier. His ability for fixing sewing machines spread quickly. In 1907, he started a sewing equipment and repair shop which was extremely successful. He became a highly prosperous and respected businessman. Because of his high profits, he could purchase a home and automobile. His experiences of driving in Cleveland led him to create his first invention - a three-positioned traffic signal.
Morgan had begun to notice frequent accidents between cars and pedestrians, for they shared the same road. As a result, he was the first to patent the three - positioned traffic signal, granted on November 20, 1923. This signal did not look like the ones of today nor have the same operation. Morgan's signal required human operation, which, like anything else, is susceptible to error. “The Morgan traffic signal was a T-shaped pole unit that featured three positions: Stop, Go and an all-directional stop position. The third position halted traffic in all directions before it allowed travel to resume on either of the intersection's perpendicular roads. This feature not only made it safer for motorists to pass through intersections, but also allowed pedestrians to cross more safely (FWHA).” The traffic signal was invented at the height of Morgan's career, but was one of many other fifty - eight patents.
Some of his other inventions included hair dying ointment and pressed comb. “Morgan also invented a zigzag stitching attachment for manually operated sewing machines and a self-extinguishing cigarette filter (FWHA).”
On July 15, 1916, Morgan made national news for using his gas mask to rescue several men trapped during an explosion in an underground tunnel beneath Lake Erie. Following the rescue, Morgan's company was bombarded with requests from fire departments around the country that wished to purchase the new life-saving masks. The Morgan gas mask was later refined for use by U.S. soldiers during World War I (FWHA).” This reveals Morgan's aptitude to invent useful things to help other people. He was being invited worldwide to convention to demonstrate the inner workings of these spectacular inventions.
Morgan also belonged to the NAACP who works for civil rights. Being a member of this organization is one of many of Morgan's accomplishments. His active role in this NAACP demonstrated that he was in favor of the civil rights' movement. “He had contempt for people who thought they were better than others, either because of social standing or color. Though Morgan's inventions and entrepreneurship afforded him a level of prestige, wealth and respect denied to many of his black contemporaries, he too experienced prejudice (FWHA).” Morgan was actively involved in the NAACP until his death on August 27, 1963.
Garrett Augustus Morgan was a very influential person, devising what is most likely the greatest gadget in auto history. He felt contempt against those who were racist and thought African Americans were inferior beings, invented a variety of useful items, ranging from traffic signals to gas masks, and contributed to the public in enormous ways.
