On May 7, 1878, Joseph Richard Winters, an African American inventor and abolitionist, was granted a U.S. Patent number 203,517 for a wagon-mounted fire escape ladder. His design allowed firefighters to quickly extend a portable ladder from a horse-drawn wagon, revolutionizing emergency response in urban areas. Winters’ invention replaced the cumbersome wooden ladders of the era and introduced a more mobile and efficient system. He later received two additional patents for improvements to the mechanism. Born to a Black mother and a Quaker father in Pennsylvania, Winters was also active in the Underground Railroad, blending innovation with social impact.
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