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Garrett Augustus Morgan was born on March 4,1877 in Paris Kentucky. His parents were freed slaves. He left home in his teens. He moved first to Cincinnati and then to Cleveland, Ohio. There he found work repairing sewing machines. The work gave him an interest in how machines work. Because of his reputation as a handy man with machines and an inventive streak he opened a sewing equipment and machine shop. This was followed by different businesses as well, including a shop that made clothes and a company to produce hair products. In 1920, Morgan moved into the newspaper business when he established The Cleveland Call. While Morgan was running his businesses he was he was also working on inventions. In 1914, he  invented a device
that he called the Morgan Safety Hood and Smoke Protector. We call
this invention a gas mask. The mask became well known when Morgan's
hood protector was used to rescue thirty-two men trapped in a tunnel
collapse in Cleveland, Ohio. Morgan and his brother put on the hood
and entered the tunnel July,4,1916. Every one was amazed when they
came out of the tunnel with survivors. After this the gas mask was
bought by policemen and firefighters. When they found out that
Morgan was black many orders were canceled. The United Stated Army
however, made changes to this original design to be used by soldiers
during World War I to protect soldiers form the deadly chlorine gas.
Many lives were saved.He also invented the traffic signal, which came before the red, yellow, and green traffic lights we know today. Again his invention came about after he saw a terrible accident when a car and a horse and carriage collided. The man was hurt but the horse died. After this Morgan decided to create a signaling system. His traffic signal was a triangular or T shaped pole. The first pole was operated by hand. Later batteries were used. The pole turned and the arms went up and down. There were lights that flashed Go and Stop. He sold his invention to General Electric for forty thousand dollars. As the years passed by he became a wealthy and well-known businessman . He had lots of success over the years. He never seemed to get tired of inventing things. Later he developed glaucoma and lost most of his eyesight. He died in 1963 at the age of 86. Today people still use his inventions. He made the world a safer place. |