Lewis H. Latimer, an accomplished African American inventor and engineer, died on this day in Flushing, New York. He began his career as a draftsman for Alexander Graham Bell, helping draw the blueprints for the first telephone patent. Latimer went on to become a respected innovator in his own right, improving the design and efficiency of the incandescent light bulb by developing a longer-lasting carbon filament.
Later, he joined General Electric, a company formed by another famous inventor, Thomas Edison. Latimer’s work helped bring electric lighting into homes and cities across America, making him a vital but often overlooked figure in the history of modern technology.
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