Assignment 4 (Lewis Howard Latimer)

Lewis Latimer was a African American inventor and draftsman who was born on September 4th 1848 in Chelsea Massachusetts. He was the youngest of four children from run away slaves. Latimer grew upa simple lifestyle and at the age of 15 he joined the United States Navy and remained there for approximately one year at which time he was granted and honorable discharge. After that time he joined a Patent Law firm this was where he gained his skills as a draftsman. Latimer was so skilled he was promoted to senior Drafts man at the firm in 1878. During his time working at the firm he worked on his own patents and in 1876 he co patented an improve toilet system for the trains. Also to notable mention in 1876 he was hired by Alexander Graham Bell to draft the necessary plans for the patenting of Bell's telephone. In 1879 he moved to Connecticut where he took the job as a manger and draftsman with the US Electric and lighting Company. In 1881 he designed and patented his most notable invention and improved Carbon filament for the light bulb. In 1884 he was hired by the Edison light Company in New York but he never worked directly for Thomas Edison in one of his Labs. Lewis Latimer died on December 11th 1928 succeeded by his wife and two children.