Blacks invented despite the odds -- Part I


Thomas L. Jennings was the first black American to receive a  patent
in the U.S.. He is known as the inventor of dry cleaning.

Note: This is the first of a seven-part series that will run during Black History Month. 

By Craig T. Greenlee

Black inventors in today's America have steadily progressed in their professions because of access to better schools and the willingness of government and private enterprise to employ their skills.

This hasn't always been the case. But there have always been inventive black folks, dating back to the early years of this nation. In many instances, the contributions of these innovators helped accelerate America's growth into one of the world's commercial Goliaths.

Unlike their present-day counterparts, black inventors in early America faced numerous obstacles in their quest for excellence. The then commonly held notion that blacks could only work with their hands and not their heads, created the most formidable hurdle -- getting a college education. Blacks weren't permitted to grace the "hallowed halls" regardless of aptitude or ability.

But that's not all.

There were patent laws that prohibited the issuing of patents to slaves. Since few blacks were free at that time, there were few patents for black inventors.

Jo Anderson was a slave
who helped to design the
grain harvester.
As for slaves who had inventions, they could only watch their masters claim the credit and rewards for their work. This changed in 1860 when it became legal to issue patents to anyone with an invention.

A prime example of how the pre-1860 patent laws transformed a slave into  phantom inventor involves Cyrus McCormack, the creator of the grain harvester.

Jo Anderson, a slave, worked closely with McCormick and made suggestions for improving the machine. He assisted with making modifications until the grain harvester was perfected in 1831. 

The harvester, also known as the reaper, revolutionized agriculture in the U.S. It was invented on McCormick's family plantation located in Rockbridge County, Virginia.

Anderson is credited with being the harvester's co-inventor in Century of the Reaper, a book written by McCormick's grandson, which was published in 1931. According to the book, Anderson was on hand when the harvester was first tested before an audience of friends, neighbors and skeptics.

McCormick's grandson wrote: "Jo Anderson deserves honor as the man who worked beside him (Cyrus McCormick) in building the reaper. Jo Anderson was a slave, a general farm laborer and friend .. and the Negro toiled with him up to the hour of the test and after."

Even though slaves couldn't get patents prior to 1860 -- blacks who were free -- could do so.

Thomas L. Jennings became the first black inventor to be granted a U.S. patent in 1821. Jennings was born a free man in New York City in 1791. So, by law, he could not be denied his rights to receive a patent. 

Jennings invented "dry scouring," a process which makes modern-day dry cleaning possible. "Dry scouring" allowed Jennings, who was also a tailor, to remove stains from clothing without damaging the fabric.

According to the reunionblackfamily.com website, Jennings, who owned a dry cleaning business in New York, spent much of his early earnings from the invention to buy the freedom of family members who were slaves.  A good portion of Jennings' remaining income was used to provide financial support for the abolitionist movement.


Henry Blair's inventions helped to revolutionize the farming industry.

It was 1834 when Henry Blair received a patent for his corn planter machine that enabled farmers to plant larger quantities of corn faster than could be done by hand. As a result, farmers could plant their crops more efficiently while getting a greater yield.

Two years later, he patented a similar device for planting cotton. Blair, who was noted as a successful farmer, was the second black inventor to get a U.S. patent. According to the biography.com website: "Blair signed the patent with an 'X,' indicating that he was illiterate."

Next : Benjamin Banneker
astronomer, surveyor, inventor

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