Bio of Garrett Morgan: African-American Inventor of Traffic Signal and Gas Mask

Garrett Augustus Morgan was born in Paris, Kentucky on March 4, 1877. His parents were Sidney and Elizabeth Reed Morgan. He grew up working with his ten Afro-American brothers and sisters on the family farm. He was fortunate in that he was able to get an elementary education during his childhood too.

Morgan moved away from his Kentucky home and headed to Cincinnati, Ohio when he was a teenager. He was looking for work. He was also looking to find what the world had in store for him.

Aware that he lacked education, Garrett Morgan was able to hire a tutor while he lived in Cinncinnati. He studied English grammar with the tutor.

Still searching for better work and opportunity, Morgan moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1895. He got a job fixing sewing machines for a clothing factory. The young Afro-American performed his job well. He also invented a belt fastener for a sewing machine. This earned him a reputation of being excellent when it came to inventing and fixing things.

Morgan finally saw the perfect chance for him... he ended his employment at the clothing factory and started his own sewing equipment and fixit shop in 1907.

Business was booming, so, in addition to his existing business, Morgan opened a tailor shop in 1909. He hired several employees. They sewed up all sorts of clothing, and it was all made by using machinery that Garrett Morgan had invented and constructed.

Always looking for new ideas, Garrett Morgan realized there was a need to communicate news of Afro-American activities in the city of Cleveland. So, he started up a newspaper known as the "Cleveland Call" in 1920.

As time passed, and his businesses thrived, Garrett Morgan became a respected Afro-American businessman. He also became a wealthy one. It wasn't very many people who owned an automobile at that time. Especially the Afro-Americans. People either got to their destinations on foot, by using wagons or bicycles, or, for the fortunate few, by driving automobiles. Morgan purchased an automobile and he quickly learned how to operate it.