Imagine life without ice cream! Thanks to a Black inventor from the 1830s, you don’t have to. In fact, we can thank Black women and men for many of the innovations, tools, and gadgets that have improved our lives. Often, though, these inventors were not given much recognition for their ideas.
“Our journey of innovation isn’t new or recent—it’s an untold story that’s existed for 400 years,” says James Howard. He’s a historian and executive director for the new Black Inventors Hall of Fame Museum, which is set to open in New Jersey in 2025. “From the moment we were brought on these shores and started living and working on these lands, our drive to innovate and sense to improve daily life has been evident.”
From a better mailbox to the ultimate toy water squirter, advancements made by Black Americans have changed the world. Read on to learn about some of the many incredible contributions made by these inventors.