Meet the uneducated Black man who made traffic light, mask, hair relaxer, others
- The gas mask, hair relaxers, traffic sign system and more were invented by a Black man called Garett Augustus Morgan
- Morgan lived in a difficult time for a Black man and could not go beyond elementary education
- Eventually, the great inventor was awarded by the city of Cleveland for his groundbreaking works
Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in
Garett Augustus Morgan was a phenomenal Black man whose achievements and inventions could not be put under cover though he lived in an extreme racially divided age.
According to Libertywritersafrica.com, Morgan was only educated up to the elementary level as circumstances did not permit him to go higher.
The brilliant young man who was from a poor family in Kentucky, USA, had to educate himself as the years went by.
READ ALSO: Policeman and immigration officer to get married as pre-wedding photos surface
Morgan appeared to be a man who was always poised to solve societal problems as he took any situation he found himself in as an opportunity to brainstorm a groundbreaking solution.
In 1895, Garett Augustus Morgan moved to Cleveland where he was hired as a sewing machine technician. This would count as the first major step in creating a great impact.
While at his job in 1907, Morgan invented a better sewing machine that what was being used at the time. Reports indicate that not long after, he came up with the hair relaxer which is being used massively in the present day.
READ ALSO: Over 40 people die in stampede at slain General Qassem Soleimani's funeral
In 1914, Garrett designed the modern gas mask which protects users from inhaling toxic gases but at the same time does not prevent respiration.
Due to racism, selling his gas mask to the firefighter’s companies proved impossible, so he just made samples for himself.
In 1916, there was an explosion in a hydraulic station tunnel which was 75 meters below the Erie Lake, 32 people were trapped in the tunnel and fortunately, Garrett heard about it.
READ ALSO: Meet Ghana's radio presenter who graduated top university without attending SHS
Together with his brother Franck, they put on their gas mask and headed for the location of the incident, carried all 32 persons out of the tunnel on their back and became heroes, as the news spread like wide fire.
The most useful traffic regulation mechanism came into the picture after Morgan witnessed a ghastly accident between the automobile, a cabriolet and a horse in 1923.
His subsequence invention, the traffic sign system, gained grounds and became a useful tool to prevent accidents to this day.
READ ALSO: Powerful story of Susanna Al-Hassan Ghana's 1st female minister told
Eventually, Garett Augustus Morgan was honoured by the city of Cleveland which gave him a gold medal set with diamonds.
The great inventor passed on July 27, 1963.
In other exciting news, a young SHS boy from Koforidua by name Kelvin Amaniampong has come up with an innovation that can save Free SHS policy ¢4m yearly.
Kelvin, from a humble background, who is in the double-track system realized how much time he has had to spend being unproductive and decided to provide a solution.
READ ALSO: Man driving brand new Mercedes flees after filling petrol to avoid paying (Video)
He came up with an app called Scrolbooks with the help of his uncle to provide free textbooks and past questions to millions of Ghanaian students nationwide.
Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!
Get interactive via our Facebook page.
Source: YEN.com.gh
