Ever wonder what driving would be like without traffic signals? Garrett Augustus Morgan, Sr., did. Driving through Cleveland, Ohio, where he owned a prosperous sewing machine repair and tailoring business, the Kentucky-born son of slaves was keenly aware of the danger of collisions…

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Filed under: Special Features | Comments Off on Garrett Morgan, Traffic Signal Inventor

Tags: African-American engineers, African-American history, African-American Inventors, Engineering in History, History, Minority Group Engineers

The America I Am – The African-American Imprint exhibition is currently on view at the California Science Center Exposition Park in Los Angeles, CA, from October 30, 2009 to April 10, 2010. Celebrating nearly 500 years of African American contributions, the exhibition presents a historical continuum of pivotal moments in courage, conviction, and creativity that solidifies the undeniable imprint of African Americans across the nation and around the world.

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Tags: African-American history, Exhibit, Museums

In this activity, students debate who invented the cotton gin. They come to realize the complexity of the seemingly simple historical statement: “Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin.” A follow-up discussion explores the nature of invention, the importance of history, and the nature of historical evidence.

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Filed under: Class Activities, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 | Comments Off on Activity: Who Invented the Cotton Gin?

Tags: African-American history, Class Activities, Class Debate, Ideas & Inventions