Garrett Morgan

Garret A. Morgan was born on March 14th, 1877. He was born in Claysville, Kentucky. His mother’s name was Elizabeth Morgan. His father’s name was Sydney Morgan.

Garrett A. Morgan had eleven brothers and sisters in his early life. When he was fourteen Garrett Morgan moved to Ohio for a better education.

Garrett A. Morgan hired a white man to show his inventions. He knew that the sales wouldn’t go well because of racism.

Garrett A. Morgan married Mary Ann Hasek. He had three sons and one of them was named after one of his followers.

Garrett A. Morgan was a sewing machine adjuster in Cleveland. He also worked as a handy man for four years. Then he was an inventor for the rest of his life.

Garrett A. Morgan made a liquid hair straightener for his first invention. After that he made the gas mask which saved many lives. He also made a traffic signal which saved even more lives!

Garrett A. Morgan lived in a terrible time for African Americans. It was a time where slavery was over but African Americans where still treated harshly because of their skin color. World War One was going on at the time too.

Garrett A. Morgan had an okay life though. He was the first African American in Cleveland to buy a car. He also ran as a candidate in Cleveland’s city council. He made his own company. It was called the G.A. Hair Refining Company.

He developed glaucoma and became almost blind. He died when he was eighty-six years old. He died on July twenty-seventh, 1933.

Garrett A. Morgan was a great man. He saved many lives with the gas mask and more with the traffic signal. I’m glad I researched him.