Lewis Latimer
Lewis Howard Latimer 1848 - 1928
Lewis Latimer was a prominent inventor from Chelsea, Massachusetts, born to courageous parents who fled their enslavement. In order to join the U.S. Navy and fight in the Civil War, Latimer lied about his age. He received an honorable discharge for his service and eventually rejoined his family in Boston.
To support his family, Latimer accepted a a position with at the Crosby and Gould patent firm. It was at this firm where Latimer taught himself mechanical drawing by observing draftsmen at the firm. Partners of the Crosby and Gould firm recognized Latimer’s potential and promoted him to draftsman. In this position, Latimer would design several of his own inventions, including an improvement to railroad car bathrooms and an early design for air conditioning units.
With the countless technological advancements of the Industrial Revolution, engineering and scientific breakthroughs were common. Latimer contributed to one of the most influential inventions of the era, the electrical light bulb. Latimer was familiar with the field of incandescent lighting from his work with Thomas Edison and Hiram Maxim. While the bulb’s invention is typically credited exclusively to Edison, Latimer was pivotal in its creation. It was Latimer that invented the method for producing a durable carbon filament which made incandescent lighting practical and affordable for consumers. Latimer also worked with Alexander Graham Bell, and helped Bell draft the patent for an original design of the telephone.
Latimer continuing designing and working as a patent consultant until 1922.
