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#SLB28Days Inventions Spotlight: Black Inventors Who Made a Difference

    

#SLB28Days continues with day two highlighting incredible people for Black History Month. In this particular post, I’m shining the light on inventions created by black people you may not know. I researched and compiled a list of inventors of color I never knew created amazing things. Over the course of my 28-day challenge, you'll see more inventors get recognized. Without their contributions to society, the very inventions we take for granted wouldn't exist and our lives would be affected in more ways you'd think.

The first inventor is Dr. Henry T. Sampson. You may have gone your whole life absentmindedly thinking the inventor of the cell phone was invented by a white person, but you’re wrong. Dr. Sampson, born in Jackson, Mississippi, invented the “gamma-electric cell.” We communicate and interact with others so much through our cell phones, and even conduct business. If it wasn’t for him, cell phones wouldn’t be what they are today.

The second maker I’m highlighting is Lyda O. Newman, who patented an improved version of the hair brush. This Ohio native spent most of her adult life in New York City as a hairdresser, and also a civil and women’s rights activist. Newman’s improved design had synthetic bristles as the original brush was made with real animal hair. Newman’s improvements created ventilation through a person’s hair and was determined more hygienic and sterile than the original creation.

With Dr. Sampson and the late Lyda O. Newman being quite the innovators, SLBWunder salutes these two for making a difference!