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Article
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Elijah Mc Coy

For Students 9th - 10th
According to this article, Elijah McCoy (1844-1929 CE) is one of the most prolific inventors in American history. Read about his parents who escaped slavery by traveling on the Underground Railroad and about his invention, the automatic...
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Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Jan Matzeliger

For Students 9th - 10th
Jan Ernst Matzeliger is remembered for his creation that had a tremendous effect on the shoe industry. He was a Surinamese inventor of the "lasting machine," patented in 1883.
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Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Frederick M. Jones

For Students 9th - 10th
Inventor Frederick M. Jones is featured in this brief biography for his lasting contributions to the refrigerator and cinema industries.
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Article
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Granville T. Woods

For Students 9th - 10th
Inventor Granville T. Woods is featured in this brief biography for his multiplex telegraph which was a useful invention for the railroad industry.
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Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Lloyd Augustus Hall

For Students 9th - 10th
Inventor Lloyd Augustus Hall is featured in this brief biography who made several contributions to the food and drug industry such as his patented method for curing meats so they would keep better.
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Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Madame C. J. Walker

For Students 9th - 10th
Inventor Madame C. J. Walker is featured in this brief biography for her invention of the Walker Hair Care System.
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Website
The Field Museum

Field Museum: George Washington Carver

For Students 9th - 10th
The online companion to past Field Museum exhibit on the life and scientific contributions of George Washington Carver, this resource includes a biography, photo gallery, an overview of Carter's goal-oriented research, an educator's...
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Article
PBS

Pbs: Africans in America: Benjamin Banneker

For Students 9th - 10th
This website describes the life of Benjamin Banneker, a free and educated black man from Baltimore, Maryland. It describes his many accomplishments.
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Article
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Madame c.j. Walker

For Students 3rd - 8th
At this site from the MIT Program you can read how Sarah Breedlove McWilliams Walker, or Madame C.J. Walker, and Marjorie Joyner "founded beauty schools for blacks" and changed the lives of African-Americans.
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Handout
Schools of California Online Resources for Education

Score H/ss: Booker T. Washington

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Biography of Booker T. Washington. Includes photographs and illustrations.
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Website
Scholastic

Scholastic: Black Beauty: Millionaire c.j. Walker

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides biographical information about Madame C.J. Walker, the first African-American millionaire.
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Handout
Other

New Bedford Historical Society: Lewis Temple

For Students 9th - 10th
Biography of African-American Lewis Temple, whose toggle iron radically improved the harpoon used by whalers in the 19th century.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Famous African Americans George Washington Carver

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage contains biographical information about the famous African American researcher, inventor, and educator, George Washington Carver. and This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that...
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Handout
Science Museum, London

Science Museum Online Stuff: Garrett Morgan

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent article about inventor Garrett Morgan including information about his two life-saving inventions: the Safety Hood, an early gas mask, and the traffic light.
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Website
Rutgers University

Blueprint for Change: The Life and Times of Lewis H. Latimer

For Students 9th - 10th
An extensive look at the inventor, Lewis Latimer, from the Thomas Edison Papers at Rutgers University. Read essays about his life and inventions, the culture in Boston which encouraged his work, and his life outside his inventions. A...
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Handout
Great Idea Finder

The Great Idea Finder: Inventor Granville Woods Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
A detailed biography of Granville T. Woods, who was known as "the Black Edison" because of his many inventions. He is best known for greatly improving the safety of railroads by his invention of the Multiplex Railway Telegraph.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Black Inventor Online Museum: Lewis Latimer

For Students 9th - 10th
The biography of the fascinating African-American inventor, Lewis Latimer. In addition to finding out about his development of the carbon filament for the incandescent lamp, you can read about his expertise in patent law, his association...
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Handout
University of California

University of California: Otis Boykin: Inventor

For Students 9th - 10th
Otis Boykin (1920-1982 CE) is attributed with developing twenty-six electronic inventions, including devices for guided missiles, IBM computers and a control unit for an artificial heart stimulator.
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Handout
Other

Black Inventors: Lloyd Hall

For Students 3rd - 8th
Lloyd Hall was a pioneer in the field of food chemistry, preservation, and sterilization.
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Handout
Other

Black Inventor Online Museum: Andrew Beard

For Students 9th - 10th
A short biography of Andrew Beard, whose invention improved the safety of railroads in the 19th century.
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Handout
Other

Black Inventors Online Museum: Charles Drew

For Students 3rd - 8th
BlackInventors.com profiles Charles Drew, teacher, doctor, and the researcher who developed the blood plasma bank.
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Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Granville T. Woods: The Multiplex Telegraph

For Students 9th - 10th
A description of Granville Woods' successful invention, the multiplex telegraph, which greatly improved railroad safety. From the Lemelson-MIT Project.
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Handout
Other

Black Inventor Online Museum: George Washington Carver

For Students 9th - 10th
BlackInventor.com profiles George Washington Carver, inventor, teacher, and scientist whose discoveries greatly changed American agriculture.
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Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Lewis H. Latimer

For Students 3rd - 8th
Use this site to learn about the inventor of the carbon-filament light bulb, Lewis H. Latimer (1848-1928 CE).