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Garrett Morgan was born on March 4, 1877 in Paris, Kentucky. He had a mixed-race heritage.

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After Garrett Morgan finished fifth grade, he quit school, left his home at the age of fourteen, moved to Cincinnati, and started work as a handyman.

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In 1895, Garrett Morgan moved to Cleveland, Ohio and became a sewing machine mechanic.

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Morgan invented his first invention, a belt fastener for sewing machines. His genius for invention and business would blossom in the following years.

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Morgan opened a shop that sold and repaired sewing machines The next year, he married Mary Anne Hassek, a Bavarian woman.

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In 1909, Garrett Morgan owned and operated a tailoring shop with the help of his wife. It employed 32 people and manufactured dresses, coats, and suits.

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Garrett Morgan invented the G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Cream, which straightened hair. After 4 years, he set up the G.A. Morgan Refining Company to manufacture his new invention. The profits allowed Morgan to concentrate on other inventions.

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On August 19, 1912, Garrett Morgan filed a patent for a "breathing device", which he soon perfected into a gas mask which would be extensively used in World War I. Many police departments and fire departments throughout the United States became equipped with Morgan's gas mask.

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In 1914, Garrett Morgan gained a US patent for the safety hood he invented two years ago. That same year, he created the National Safety Device Company to promote and manufacture the safety hood.

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On July 24, 1916, there was an explosion at Lake Erie. Using Garrett Morgan's gas mask, he and his brother saved 20+ lives. It was a great rescue that was made possible by Garrett Morgan's safety hood.

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Garrett Morgan kept inventing many different things, from hats to belt fasteners to car parts. He also worked on his mechanical skills during this time. He would soon be concentrated on the traffic light.

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Morgan created the Cleveland Call, an African American newspaper. It was later renamed to the Call & Post. The newspaper got a large circulation.

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On January 23, 1923, Garrett Morgan invented the traffic light. It was an old and simple version of the three-way traffic light we see today. He invented it after seeing an accident with a horse carriage and a car. He gained a US patent in November, and patents from Canada and the UK came soon after.

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Soon after getting the patents of his traffic light, he sold the rights to General Electric for $40,000, which doesn't seem like much but was a handsome sum back then. General Electric would, over time, turn Morgan's design into the traffic lights we see today.

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Morgan entered politics in 1931. He ran as an independent candidate for the Cleveland City Council. His platform included relief for the unemployed, better lighting, improved sanitation, and more.

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In 1943, Garrett Morgan suffered from a severe case of glaucoma. It resulted in the loss of 90% of his vision.

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Garrett Morgan died on July 27, 1963 in Cleveland, Ohio.

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42 years after his death, Garrett Morgan was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame. The National Inventors Hall of Fame honors individuals, both living and dead, whose work has changed civilization and improved the way we live. The induction took place at a ceremony that happened in May.

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Garrett Morgan has a great legacy. He had saved countless lives with his inventions and still does with his inventions. Garrett Morgan's work continues to inspire and serve present-day inventors and engineers.

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Here are my sources because the description won't let me:

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1606000424/BIC?u=loui37454&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=bb58dcbc

https://www.biography.com/inventor/garrett-morgan

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A216269700/GPS?u=loui37454&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=97246647

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A17900853/GPS?u=loui37454&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=75a87930

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