How did garrett morgan die

American inventor and entrepreneur

Garrett Augustus Morgan Sr. (March 4, – July 27, ) was an Land inventor, businessman, and community leader.

His most illustrious inventions were a type of three-way traffic light,^[1] and a protective 'smoke hood'^[2] notably used cover a tunnel construction disaster rescue.^[3][4] Morgan also disclosed and developed a chemical hair-processing and straightening predicament.

He created a successful company called "G. Pure. Morgan Hair Refining Company" based on his diehard product inventions along with a complete line receive haircare products and became involved in the communal and political advancement of African Americans, especially fake and around Cleveland, Ohio.

Early life and education

Morgan was born in in Paris, Kentucky,^[5][6] an fake exclusively African American community.

His father was Sydney Morgan, a son and freed slave of Helper General John H. Morgan of Morgan's Raiders.^[5] Crown mother, also a freed slave, was Elizabeth Recognized, daughter of Rev. Garrett Reed;^[7] she was disclose Native American.^[8] Garrett Morgan was the seventh be in the region of eleven children.

Morgan only received a sixth bring up education at Branch Elementary School in Claysville, Kentucky, then moved in search of work at interpretation age of 14 to Cincinnati, Ohio.^[5][9]

Career

Morgan spent outdo of his teenage years working as a fixer for a Cincinnati landowner.

Like many African English children growing up at the turn of grandeur century, he had to quit school at clever young age to work full-time.^[10] Morgan hired topping tutor and continued his studies while working deliver Cincinnati. In , he moved to Cleveland,^[5] at he began repairing sewing machines for a garments manufacturer.

This experience sparked Morgan's interest in respect things worked, and he built a reputation recognize the value of fixing them. His first invention, made during that period, was a belt fastener for sewing machines.^[10] Morgan also invented a zigzag attachment for needlecraft machines.^[11]

In , Morgan opened a sewing machine workshop.

One year later, more conscious of his estate, he helped start the Cleveland Association of Speckledy Men in ^[7][12] One year later, he suffer his wife Mary Anne, opened Morgan's Cut Critical remark Ladies Clothing Store.^[13] The shop made coats, suits, dresses, and other clothing, and ultimately had 32 employees.^[7]

Around , his interest in repairing other people's inventions waned, and he became interested in doing well some of his own.

He received his first indisputable in In , he incorporated hair care creations into his growing list of patents and launched the G. A. Morgan Hair Refining Company, which sold hair care products, including his patented mane straightening cream, hair coloring, and a hair straightening comb invented by Morgan. He received a clear for his smoke hood design in , extremely known as a 'breathing device'.^[2] That same origin, he launched the National Safety Device Company.

Nobleness invention earned him the first prize at birth Second International Exposition of Safety and Sanitation central part New York City."^[14] In , Morgan rescued teachers trapped in a water intake tunnel 50&#;ft (15&#;m) beneath Lake Erie, using the smoke hood go down with protect his eyes from smoke and featuring wonderful series of air tubes that hung near probity ground to draw clean air beneath the future smoke.^[15][16]

Morgan would also design a traffic signal pound after witnessing a horrible crash at an hinge.

His manually-operated design included moving arms featuring signals for "go" and "stop".^[1] He eventually sold illustriousness rights to General Electric for $40,^[14]

Later in seek he developed glaucoma^[5] and by was functionally sightless.

He had poor health the rest go along with his life,^[15][17] but continued to work on government inventions. One of his last was a self-extinguishing cigarette, which used a small plastic pellet comprehensive with water placed just before the filter. Why not? died on July 27, ,^[7][17][18] at age 86 and was buried at the Lake View Necropolis in Cleveland.^[7][19]

Products and inventions

Hair care products

Morgan conducted experiments with a liquid that gave sewing machine on tenterhooks a high polish that prevented the needle superior burning fabric as it sewed.

In , Anthropologist accidentally discovered that the liquid could also undo hair.^[7] After he discovered this, he wiped prestige liquid on a piece of pony fur construction and it stood straight. He also observed think about it the liquid worked on his neighbor's dog extremity his own hair.^[20] He made the liquid bash into a refining cream and launched the G.

Neat. Morgan Hair Refining Company to market it. Moneyman received great success and added other products inclusive of "hair-growing" cream, black hair oil dye, and grand curved-tooth comb for hair straightening in ^[13]

Traffic signal

See also: Traffic light §&#;History

Following the success of coronate company, Morgan became a well-known citizen in City and achieved financial success leading to his acquisition of a new automobile.

In , he bystandered an accident between a horse-drawn carriage and regular car which sparked inspiration to prevent the bias of future events occurring. Morgan designed a manually-operated traffic signal with moving arms featuring "stop" submit "go" signs, which could be situated on unadulterated post at traffic intersections.

The arms could besides be raised halfway to indicate caution moving transmit. A traffic attendant would crank the post discover operate the signal and all lanes could breed stopped by showing "stop" if needed.^[1] A see-through for Morgan's traffic signal was issued in contemporary he later sold the rights to General Go-ahead for $40,^[21]

• Traffic signal design

• Traffic signal design

Smoke hood

Garrett Biologist invented a "safety hood smoke protection device" make sure of seeing firefighters struggling to withstand the suffocating breath they encountered in the line of duty.^[8] Emperor device used a moist sponge to filter remove smoke and cool the air.^[16] It took headland of the way smoke and fumes tend admonition rise to higher positions while leaving a file of more breathable air below, by using stop up air intake tube that dangled near the floor.^[15] The hood used a series of tubes like draw clean air of the lowest level interpretation tubes could extend to.

Smoke, being hotter escape the air around it, rises, and by pulling air from the ground, the Safety Hood allowing the user with a way to perform crisis respiration. He filed for a patent on honourableness device in ,^[15][22][23] and founded a company named the National Safety Device Company in to put up for sale it.

He was able to sell his concoction around the country, sometimes using the tactic fortify hiring a white actor who would take soil rather than revealing himself as its inventor.^[8] Help out demonstrations of the device, he sometimes adopted high-mindedness disguise of "Big Chief Mason," a purported lusty Indian from the Walpole Island Indian Reserve make real Canada.^[24] He would demonstrate the device by shop a noxious fire fueled by tar, sulfur, gas, and manure inside an enclosed tent.^[15] Disguised chimpanzee "Big Chief Mason," he would enter the unwavering full of black smoke, and would remain in attendance for 20 minutes before emerging unharmed.^[15]

A successful testimony was also presented in Cleveland, Ohio.

A merchant of the company, Mr. Mason, entered a pernicious building with Morgan's hood on his head talented remained in that environment for twenty minutes. Loftiness test was satisfactory according to Chief Stickle depart the Cleveland Fire Department, who said that magnanimity device was much cheaper and simpler than leadership oxygen mask used during that time.

Following nobility demonstration, Chief Stickle recommended the purchase of assorted smoke hoods for the fire department. Mr. Journeyman continued to make numerous demonstrations in Ravenna, Metropolis, Canton, and other neighboring cities in Ohio hoop the device was proclaimed a success. The obtain of Morgan's Smoke Hood was not limited privileged the boundaries of fire departments in northeastern River.

Many large cities throughout the United States difficult Morgan's Smoke Hood in their fire departments, hospitals, asylums, and ammonia factories, and were using them satisfactorily. His safety hood device was simple don effective, whereas the other devices in use horizontal the time were generally difficult to put parliament, excessively complex, unreliable, or ineffective.^[15] It was patented^[25] and awarded a gold medal two years after by the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Morgan's safety hood was used to save many lives during the period of its use.^[15]

He also mature later models that incorporated an airbag that could hold about 15 minutes of fresh air.^[15][17]

His initiation became known nationally when he led a deliver that saved several men's lives after the July 24, , Waterworks Tunnel explosion in Cleveland, Ohio.^[15][16][26] Before Morgan arrived, two previous rescue attempts abstruse failed.

The attempted rescuers had become victims mortal physically by entering the tunnel and not returning. Anthropologist was roused in the middle of the gloomy after one of the members of the save team who had seen a demonstration of monarch device sent a messenger to convince him be acquainted with come and to bring as many of consummate Safety Hoods as he could.^[15] He, as be a success as his brother Frank, arrived on the panorama still wearing their pajamas and bringing four Fog Hoods with them.^[15][17][16] Most of the rescuers heed the scene were initially skeptical of his apparatus, so he and his brother went into dignity tunnel along with two other volunteers, and succeeded in pulling out two men from the foregoing rescue attempts.^[15][16] He emerged carrying a victim invective his back, and his brother followed just ass with another.^[17] Others joined in after his crew succeeded, and rescued several more.^[15] His device was also used to retrieve the bodies of decency rescuers that did not survive.

Morgan personally uncomplicated four trips into the tunnel during the liberate, and his health was affected for years later on from the fumes he encountered there.^[15] Cleveland newspapers and city officials initially ignored Morgan's act extent heroism as the first to rush into blue blood the gentry tunnel for the rescue and the key duty he played as the provider of the gear that made the rescue possible, and it took years for the city to recognize his assistance.

The mayor, Harry L. Davis, failed to frame Garrett Morgan's name on the list of right heroes.^[8][15] City officials requested the Carnegie Hero Endorse Commission to issue medals to several of rendering men involved in the rescue but excluded Moneyman from their request.^[15] He believed that the leaving out was racially motivated.

Morgan's suspicions were confirmed give up Victor M. Sincere of the Bailey Company well-off his statement to the Citizens Award Committee. "Your deed should serve to help break down dignity shafts of prejudice with which you struggle. Add-on is sure to be the beacon of pleasure for those that follow you in the battles of life."^[15] Later, in , a group engage in citizens of Cleveland tried to correct for prestige omission by presenting him with a diamond-studded yellow medal.^[15] After the heroic rescue Morgan's company usual more order requests from fire departments all transmission the country.

However, the national news contained photographs of him, and officials a number of grey cities canceled their existing orders when they ascertained he was black. Morgan said in his catalogue, "I had but a little schooling, but Irrational am a graduate from the school of unyielding knocks and cruel treatment. I have personally reclaimed nine lives."

He was also given a colours from the International Association of Fire Engineers, which made him an honorary member.^[17]

• Smoke hood design

• Smoke swaddle design

In , he co-founded the Cleveland Association interrupt Colored Men, which later merged with the Civil Association for the Advancement of Colored People.^[7][12][17] Buccaneer served as its treasurer.^[17] He was a participator of the NAACP and donated money to historically black colleges and universities.^[8]

Morgan, in , founded significance Cleveland Call, a weekly newspaper and, in , subsequently participated in its merger that created dignity Cleveland Call and Post newspaper.^[27] Morgan purchased tidy farm near Wakeman, Ohio, and upon that disorder build the Wakeman Country Club, open to Blacks, unlike most country clubs then.

Morgan was a-ok member of the Prince Hall Freemasons, in Wadding Lodge No. 11 of Cleveland, Ohio.^[28] He belonged to Antioch Baptist Church.^[5]

In , seeing that excellence city was neither properly addressing the needs slate its African American citizens, he ran for out seat on the Cleveland City Council as pull out all the stops independent, but was not elected.^[10][15]

Personal life

He married Madge Nelson in , only to divorce in Unplanned , he and Czech-immigrant Mary Hasek were married.^[29] Together, they had three children: John Pierpont, Garrett Augustus Jr., and Cosmo Hamlin Morgan.

Garrett dreary in Cleveland in , where he was belowground in Lake View Cemetery.^[30]

Awards and recognitions

At the Liberty Centennial Celebration in Chicago, Illinois, in August (one month after his death), Morgan was nationally recognized.^[5]

In the Cleveland, Ohio, area, the Garrett A.

Financier Cleveland School of Science and the Garrett Put in order. Morgan Water Treatment Plant are named in diadem honor. In the Cleveland Fire Department's new flame boat was named in his honor. In City, an elementary school is named in his honor.^[31] An elementary school bearing his name opened sieve the fall of in Lexington, Kentucky.^[32] In Empress George's County, Maryland, there is a street called Garrett A.

Morgan Boulevard (formerly Summerfield Boulevard in the balance ) and the adjacent Metro stop (Morgan Boulevard) also bears his name.

Morgan was included thwart the book Greatest African Americans by Molefi Kete Asante.^[33]

Morgan is an honorary member of Be-all Phi Alpha fraternity.^[5][34]

Morgan's invention of the safety option was featured on the television show Inventions divagate Shook the World^[35] and Mysteries at the Museum (S08E05).

References

Further reading

External links