African American Inventors: "Guitar" - Robert F. Flemming

The serene sounds that come from chord progression on a guitar are highly appreciated to many music lovers. When you listen to a song, it's easy to spot the guitar, one of the best musical instruments invented. While many will argue about who created the first guitar, two instruments are often cited as the fathers of the guitar, which is the European lute and the four-string oud. In the 8th century, the oud was brought to Iberia by the Moors . Now those that know the history of the Moors, know that they were people from North Africa, who TRAVELED to Europe. Enough said.

Moors playing the Odu

Fast forward to the 17th century, African American, Robert F. Flemming received a patent in March 3, 1886 because of his improved sound and design. Flemmings was a music teacher who served in the navy during the America Civil War. Regardless to what critics may argue, Flemmings is credited for being the creator of the guitar. We are thankful for his contribution to music even though the modern design is not a little different than his original design.

Robert F. Flemming's Designed Guitar