Garrett Morgan was born on March 4^th, 1877 in Paris, Kentucky. He was the seventh of eleven children. Garrett’s mother was of African descent and his father was an African American who was formerly enslaved and freed in 1863. Garrett finished his elementary school education, but never went to high school. When Garrett was 14, he moved to Cincinnati and found work as a handyman to a wealthy landowner. He also hired a tutor so that he could continue his education.

In 1895, Garrett moved to Cleveland where he began repairing sewing machines for a living, eventually opening his own repair shop. As he worked, he learned more about the sewing machine and obtained a patent for an improved sewing machine. This was one of his first inventions. After this, Garrett invented a hair refining company that offered hair care, including hair straightening cream and a comb that he developed. This company gave Garrett the finances that he needed to continue to innovate products.

When Garrett heard about deadly factory fire in which 146 women perished, he knew he wanted to create a device that could help. In 1914, Garrett patented a breathing device, also called a “safety hood,” that would provide users with safer breathing in the event of smoke, gas, or other pollutants. This eventually was used to design gas masks that were used in World War One.

Garrett received some backlash and hesitation from buyers, particularly in the South. Even though advancements had been made for equal rights during the civil rights movement, there were still tensions and, therefore, some people would not buy Garrett’s inventions because of his skin colour. To sell his products, he hired a white actor to pose as “the inventor” so that he could make more sales and be more successful.

In 1923, Garrett Morgan witnessed a carriage accident at an intersection in Cleveland that was known for having issues. After he witnessed this, he knew he had to create something that would alert drivers when it was time to stop. Therefore, he invented a three-way traffic light.

Eventually, Garrett sold the rights of his traffic light invention to General Electric. Outside of his inventing career, Garrett also supported the Black community throughout his lifetime by actively advocating for equal rights. In 1943, Garrett Morgan developed glaucoma, a medical condition impacting sight, and lost most of his vision as a result. Due to other health problems and illness, he died in 1963, leaving behind three children. In 2005, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Ohio, and his prototype of the traffic signal is on display at the African American Museum in Cleveland. Lastly, he has a school named after him; the Garrett Morgan School of Engineering and Innovation in Cleveland.

Dr. Thomas David Petite, who went by “David,” was born on May 30^th 1956, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribe in Wisconsin, and his dad was a former Chief of the community. David was heavily influenced by the time he spent with his family, especially his father, as they taught him about his cultural heritage through their stories. Many of these stories shared were of Indigenous ancestors and their innovations to improve farming methods. Throughout his childhood, David would sit with his dad and tinker with radios, which led him to become fascinated with radio waves and wireless technology.

From this time on, David worked a lot with wireless technology. He created ways for devices to communicate with each other without using wires. His earliest invention, in 1984, was a personalized security system that was carried or worn by a person and could be activated with the push of a button. The device would send a signal to others so they could determine where to find the person who needs assistance.

In 1993, David founded StatSignal Systems, the first company to introduce wireless mesh technology to healthcare industries. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, David made significant contributions to the technology used in “Smart Meters” and the “Smart Grid” - such as the option for remote monitoring or controlling multiple devices at once. These systems helped manage electricity used in buildings and created more efficient ways to manage energy and other resources in general.

In 1994, David developed the Audio Internet Microlink (AIM), a communication system for the hearing impaired. This innovation helped convert spoken words into text, allowing for real-time communication and increasing accessibility for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

In 2009, David started the “Native American Intellectual Property Enterprise Council” (NAIPEC), an organization that helps young Indigenous inventors protect their inventions. David works with individuals to teach them about intellectual property, which is a creative invention or piece of work that a person or company can own the rights to. Along with this, he encourages creativity and sets up inventor competitions in schools because he believes anyone can invent and create with the right information and motivation.

Dr. Patricia Era Bath was born on November 4^th, 1942 in New York City. Her father, Rupert, was the first Black motorman for the subway system, and her mother, Gladys, was a housewife. Patricia was always interested in science, particularly biology. In 1959, at a high school summer program, Patricia attended a cancer research workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation. It was at this foundation that she came up with a way to mathematically predict cancer cell growth. She was awarded a Merit award and went on to continue her studies in science.

When she graduated high school, Patricia went to Hunter College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1964. After this, she obtained her medical degree from Howard University and accepted an internship at Harlem Hospital. During her internship, she noticed that Black patients suffered more often from preventable blindness and visual impairments, and were eight times more likely to develop glaucoma simply because they did not have the same access to eye care. This inspired her to develop a new field, community ophthalmology (a branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders), and co-found the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness, which established that “eyesight is a basic human right.” She wanted to ensure that everyone had equal access to affordable eye treatment.

In 1975, she became the first woman to join the staff at the Department of Ophthalmology at UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye Institute. She began to work with patients diagnosed with cataracts, which are cloudy or opaque areas of the lens in the eye, that, if left untreated, lead to blindness. This inspired her new surgical technique, and in 1981, she began to work on her most well-known invention, the Laserphaco Probe. This probe used laser technology to treat cataracts more precisely and less painfully.

With her Laserphaco Probe, she was able to restore the sight of individuals who had been blind for more than 30 years. The device was used worldwide to improve the vision of millions of people.

On May 30^th, 2019, Patricia passed away from complications due to cancer. In 2021, she was welcomed into the International Women in Medicine Hall of Fame and, in 2022, she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Additionally, in March of 2024, she joined the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Dr. Patricia Bath’s work and advocacy have not only advanced medical technology but also brought attention to the importance of accessible and equitable healthcare.