As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, we honor Garrett Augustus Morgan, the inventor of the modern traffic light. Born in 1877 to former slaves in Kentucky, he had big ideas even though he only had a sixth-grade education.
In the early 1900s, cars and wagons would crash at intersections because traffic lights had only two signals: Stop (red) and Go (green). After witnessing a bad accident at an intersection, Morgan decided to improve the traffic signal by adding a third signal: Slow Down (yellow). Adding this third signal to the traffic light made roads safer and is still used worldwide today.
Morgan continued to make impactful inventions like the gas mask and started the first Black-owned newspaper called the Cleveland Call. Garrett Morgan’s inventions remind us how one person’s ideas can change the world and make it a safer place for all to enjoy.
Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Take the Black History Month Quiz to find out!
