African American Inventors: The Lantern - Michael C. Harvey

Many may not be aware of it, but we are here to shed light to how many inventions that make your day to day life much were in fact invented by African and/or African American inventors. 

Take for instance the lantern, at some point this was the only means of light.  In 1884 Michael C. Harvey, he improved a type of lantern that could be turned on and off. We owe much thanks to Harvey for our lamps that we can so easily roll over and turn off before heading to be.

 The original lantern is now on display at the Black History Museum. He received patent No. 303844 on August 19, 1884 in St. Louis, Missouri for the invention of an improvement in wick-raisers.

It is pretty cool to know that from the time we wake up, to the time we go back to sleep at night, something that you have used has been invented by a African American inventor.