African American Inventions List: The list of African American Inventions are provided with the dates of the inventions for ease of reference.

African American Inventions - Golf Tee (1899): The African American inventor George Franklin Grant and the first African-American professor at Harvard, invented and patented the first wooden Golf tee in 1899.

African American Inventions - Carbon Filament (1881): The US inventor and engineer Lewis Howard Latimer invented the carbon filament in 1881 that improved the newly-invented incandescent light bulb.

African American Inventions - Wrench (1922): The African American inventor (and world champion boxer) Jack Johnson (1878 - 1946) invented the Wrench which he patented on April 18, 1922.

African American Inventions - Gas Mask (1914): The African American inventor, businessman and entrepreneur Garrett Morgan invented the Gas Mask in 1914.

African American Inventions - Steam engine lubricator (1872): The US inventor and mechanical engineer Elijah McCoy​ invented the steam engine lubricator, a high-quality industrial invention, in 1872. His quality of work and  and products led to the expression "The real McCoy".

African American Inventions - Hair-straightening formula​ (1905): The African American inventor and entrepreneur Madam C. J. ​Walker​ (born Sarah Breedlove) invented a range of hair care products including a hair-straightening formula in 1905.

African American Inventions - Diversion of Agriculture (1906): The US inventor and scientist George Washington Carver was not credited with specific inventions but discovered numerous new uses for peanuts (such as dyes, plastics and gasoline), soya beans and sweet potatoes helping to diversify agriculture in America. In 1906 George Washington Carver designed a horse-drawn vehicle, called the Jessup Agricultural Wagon, that enabled him to demonstrate his experiments to farmers.

African American Inventions - Multiplex Telegraph (1887): The prolific African American inventor and entrepreneur Granville ​Woods, aka the "Black Edison", is famous for his invention of  the multiplex telegraph in 1887 that enabled messages to be sent from moving trains and railway stations. Woods also invented a diverse selection of items including an automatic brake and an egg incubator.

African American Inventions - Super Soaker​ (1982): The US inventor, designer, engineer and businessman Lonnie Johnson invented the Super Soaker in 1982.

African American Inventions - Lasting Machine (1883): The Dutch Guyanan inventor Jan Ernst ​Matzeliger​ worked in the shoe industry and in 1883 invented the 'Lasting Machine', an automated shoemaking machine that quickly attached the top of the shoe to the sole (a process called "lasting".

African American Inventions - Wooden clock (1753): The clock inventor and farmer Benjamin ​Banneker invented the ​Banneker Wooden clock in 1753.

African American Inventions - Traffic Stop (1923): The US inventor and entrepreneur Garrett Morgan invented the Traffic Stop in 1923.

African American Inventions - Control unit for the artificial heart pacemaker (1959): The inventor and scientist Otis Boykin​ invented a control unit for the artificial heart pacemaker in 1959. The pacemaker device uses electrical impulses to maintain a regular heartbeat.

African American Inventions - Foil Electret Microphone (1962): The US inventor and scientist James ​Edward Maceo West invented the foil electret microphone in 1962. The foil electret microphone is an inexpensive, compact device that is now used in 90% of all microphones used today.

African American Inventions - Automatic refrigeration system​ (1935): The prolific African American inventor and entrepreneur Frederick ​McKinley Jones​ invented an automatic refrigeration system for long haul trucks and railroad cars in 1935.

African American Inventions - Vacuum sugar evaporator (1864): The US inventor and engineer Norbert Rillieux invented the vacuum sugar evaporator in 1864 that revolutionized sugar processing.

African American Inventions - Dry Scouring (1821): The African American inventor Thomas L. ​Jennings​ invented a dry-cleaning process called 'Dry Scouring',  in 1821. Thomas L. Jennings was the first African-American to be granted a patent March 3, 1821.

African American Inventions - Folding Cabinet Bed​ (1885): The inventor and businesswoman Sarah E. ​Goode​ invented the Folding Cabinet Bed in 1885. Sarah Goode started life as a slave and became the first African-American woman to be granted a patent. ​

African American Inventions - Steam engine for a War Ship (1940's): The inventor Benjamin ​Bradley was born a slave. In the 1940's he built an engine large enough to run the first steam-powered warship.

African American Inventions - Electronic feeding device​ (1951): The African American inventor and nurse Bessie Blount ​Griffin​ invented an electronic feeding device in 1951 to help amputees feed themselves.

African American Inventions - Lyophilized Reaction Mixtures (1966): The inventor and NASA research scientist Emmett ​Chappelle​ was honored for his work in developing Lyophilized Reaction Mixtures.

African American Inventions - Synthetic cortisone (1954): The African American inventor and businessman Percy Lavon ​Julian​ invented an inexpensive Synthetic cortisone from the wild Mexican yam.

African American Inventions - Ironing board (1892): The inventor Sarah Boone​​ invented improvements to the Ironing Board in 1892 for the purpose of specifically ironing women's clothes.

African American Inventions - Corn Planter (1834): The African American inventor Henry Blair​ invented a highly efficient and labor saving Corn Planter in 1834.

African American Inventions - Automatic elevator door (1887): The inventor Alexander ​Miles invented an automatically opening and closing elevator door in 1887.

African American Inventions - Heating system improvements​ (1920's): During the 1920's to 1930's the inventor David ​Crosthwait​ invented products for effective heating systems for larger buildings including a vacuum pump, a boiler, and a thermostat control.

African American Inventions - 'Jenny Coupler' (1884): The African American inventor Andrew ​Jackson Beard​ invented the "Jenny Coupler", an improvement to railroad car couplers, in 1884.

African American Inventions - Steamboat propeller​ (1852): The African American inventor and mechanic Ben ​Montgomery​ invented a propeller to replace steamboat paddle wheels in 1852.

African American Inventions - Closed-circuit television security system​ (1966): The inventor Marie Van ​Brittan Brown, together with her husband Albert Brown,​ invented a closed-circuit television security system in 1966.

African American Inventions - Curing salts (1925): The African American inventor and industrial food chemist Lloyd Hall​ invented curing salts for the processing and reserving of meats in 1925.

African American Inventions - Hairbrush Improvement​ (1898): The inventor and hairdresser Lyda D. ​Newman​ invented an improved model of hairbrush in 1898.

African American Inventions - Permanent Hair-Wave Machine (1928): The African American inventor and hairdresser Marjorie ​Joyner​ invented Permanent Hair-Wave Machine in 1928.

African American Inventions - Ice cream scoop (1897): The African American inventor and businessman Alfred L. ​Cralle invented ice cream scoop in 1897.

African American Inventions - 'Temple's Toggle' (c. 1845): The African American inventor and blacksmith Lewis Temple invented a whaling harpoon, known as "Temple's Toggle" in the 1840's.

African American Inventions - Safer strongbox (1886): The African American inventor Henry Armitt Brown invented Safer Document Storage, an improved type of strongbox that he patented on November 2, 1886.