Garrett Morgan

Hair straightener

In 1907 Morgan opened his own sewing equipment and repair shop. The following year he married Mary Hasek, a white woman from Bavaria. In 1907 the couple started a clothing business that grew to employ more than 30 people. Morgan’s first notable invention addressed a common problem with sewing machines at the time: the needles moved up and down so quickly that they often became hot and scorched some fabrics. Morgan experimented with liquids and made a chemical solution to reduce the friction. At the same time, he found that the solution straightened the cloth fibres. He later discovered that it was safe to use for straightening hair and patented the formula. In 1913 Morgan founded the G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Company to sell the product. Other hair-care items were introduced, and the company became profitable, allowing Morgan to spend more time inventing.

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Safety hood

In the early 1910s Morgan shifted his focus to a breathing device that would prevent smoke inhalation. His interest reportedly arose from the devastating Triangle shirtwaist factory fire (1911), which left 146 workers dead. In October 1914 Morgan patented his creation: a hood that went over the head and had a tube attached to it. The tube reached the ground, where the air is usually cleaner. The device allowed users to breathe more safely in areas contaminated with smoke or harmful gases. While the device proved effective, racism hindered its sales, so Morgan hired white actors to sell the hood.

In July 1916 the safety hood was put to the test after an explosion occurred during the construction of a tunnel 120 feet (37 metres) under Lake Erie. A daring mission was undertaken to save trapped workers, but the gas and smoke killed some 10 would-be rescuers. Officials ultimately turned to Morgan. He and several others entered the tunnel wearing the safety hood and saved eight men. The story made national news, though mention of Morgan’s involvement was omitted. However, his breathing device became hugely popular.

Traffic signal

A real-life event also inspired his other significant safety invention: a manually operated T-shaped traffic signal. In the early 1920s Morgan observed a collision involving an automobile and a horse-drawn carriage carrying a young child. At the time, such accidents were common, in part because traffic signals had only two options—stop and go—which switched with no warning. Looking to solve the problem, Morgan invented a traffic signal featuring movable arms that directed the traffic to stop, go, or stop in all directions. When the signal to stop in all directions was activated, all vehicles had to stop. This third option—a forerunner of today’s yellow, or amber, light—not only prevented collisions between vehicles but also allowed pedestrians to cross the street safely. Although Morgan’s invention was not the first traffic signal, it controlled traffic better than many earlier signals had. He patented it in 1923 and eventually sold the rights to the device to the General Electric Corporation for $40,000. For his various inventions, Morgan adopted the nickname “the Black Edison,” a reference to noted inventor Thomas Edison.