Black Inventors And Scientists Made Many Inventions For A Better Life
Too many times in history, individuals who contributed to make a difference get overlooked. Mrs. Lynne Lennon enjoys teaching her ninth-grade physical science class about how some of those individuals have made a difference. Aligned with Black History Month in February, she has her students work through a process of choosing a black inventor, learning about what he or she did, and making displays to share with others. It is a hands-on learning experience that most students find enjoyable and educational. She even has a a special name for the project –“ Blacseum,“ which could be defined as a museum of black inventors and their creations.
From Mrs. Lennon’ s list of inventors, students could take a look through and see what interests them. Nathaniel Durante was struck by the security camera invention in the 1960s by Marie Van Britain Brown. Durante explained he learned that she developed this“ because she always felt safe, but the crime rate in Queens, NY, was rather high, so she thought security should be heightened.”
Azure Page and Alaya Coleman worked together to learn about inventor Garrett Morgan, who saw the need for firefighters to have a gas mask. Page said,“ The work they did fighting fires, put them in the path of burning hallways and buildings, rescuing others. Morgan worked on the invention of the gas mask to assist them in 1910.” Later he would be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, OH.
One student learned that to get ahead, a black woman named Sarah Breedlove, used her husband’ s name of C. J. Walker when she went into business. Madam C. J. Walker made hair growth products and other products to improve women’ s lives.
Several students took their interest in food to a new level. Alaya West learned how George Crum made potato chips, and Jax Blackwell saw how George W. Carver grew peanuts and made peanut butter. A repeat display from last year also showed how
Jeromie Anderson learned about laser surgery used by Dr. Patricia Bath to cure cataracts.
Alaya West did some research on George Crum, the inventor of potato chips. She learned Crum had operated a restaurant where he served and sold his chips.
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Azure Page worked on a gas mask invented by Garrett Morgan in 1910 to help protect firefighters. to make ice cream. Visitors to the exhibits made sure to try the sample foods.
However, one of the most personal experiments was presented by Jeromie Anderson. He studied the eyes and how cataracts affect the eyes. Dr. Patricia Bath was the inventor of the cataract laser surgery. Jeromie explained how he spends so much time onscreen, using computers and programs for long periods of time at school and home. He is concerned about the effects on his eyes. He found the information on cataract treatments helpful to know, then share with his classmates.
Mrs. Lennon’ s students enjoyed demonstrating who they had researched, and what they learned about black inventors and scientists who made everyone’ s lives better through their inventions and discoveries. The displays were on display at the end of February in the first floor office Mr. Harper used during the school’ s renovation.
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