Today In Black History

Lewis Latimer: Black Facts You Should Know!

Issue #432 Black History Thursday, December 7, 2023

Welcome to this Today in Black History post. Black History IS American History, no matter how hard some people try to erase our history and contributions.

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Today’s Black WOW!

About fifty years ago when I was a relatively new 6th-grade teacher, every class in the primarily white school was required to put on a play for the entire school sometime during the school year. The science teacher across the hall decided to present a play about Thomas Edison. I insisted that the teacher include Lewis Latimer as a character in the play and that one of my Black male students be cast as Lewis Latimer. Almost no one, not the teachers, the parents, nor the students had ever heard of Lewis Latimer. They learned something when the play was performed.

Lewis Latimer was an African-American inventor and engineer who made significant contributions to the development of the lightbulb.

Latimer began his career working for Thomas Edison. He also played a vital role in the development of the telephone, working alongside Alexander Graham Bell. His expertise in drafting and technical drawings was invaluable, and he was responsible for creating the drawings that helped secure the patent for Bell's telephone design.

Latimer's most notable contribution came in the field of lighting. The incandescent lightbulb had significant flaws. The filaments used in the bulbs were made of carbon, which burned out quickly and produced a dim light.

Using a new technique called the "carbon-threaded process," Latimer invented a way to make the filament inside the lightbulb much more durable. This process involved heating carbon filaments in a vacuum, which eliminated impurities and made them more resistant to burning out. Thanks to Latimer's invention, the lightbulb became a viable and long-lasting source of illumination.

Latimer's contribution to the lightbulb industry was not limited to his inventions alone. His technical expertise and understanding of electrical systems were instrumental in helping Edison establish the first commercial lighting company, known as the Edison Electric Light Company. Latimer's knowledge and experience in electrical engineering were instrumental in overcoming technical challenges and ensuring the successful implementation of electric lighting across the United States.

Latimer also worked as a consultant and expert witness in various patent disputes, using his extensive knowledge to support inventors and innovators. Additionally, he wrote an influential book called "Incandescent Electric Lighting" in 1890, which became an essential resource for engineers and scientists interested in electric lighting.

Today in Black History

- In 1941, Black Navy cook Dorie Miller on the USS Arizona, shot down four planes during the Pearl Harbor attack by manning a machine gun.

- In 1967, Otis Redding recorded his hit song, “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.”

- In 1972, the National Council of Churches elected W. Sterling Cary as its first Black president.

- In 1985, Bo Jackson of Auburn University is awarded the 51st Heisman Trophy.

- In 1986, President Jean-Claude Duvalier fled Haiti.

- In 2015, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed banning all Muslims from entering the United States.

- In 2022, Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock won re-election over Trump-endorsed Republican Hershel Walker.

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