Black History Month - 2024
Dated: 09 Oct, 2024
October is Black History Month, and at Fleetmaster we think it is a great opportunity to remember some of the pivotal inventions and creations by great Black minds that have improved the automotive industry!
Synthetic Rubber
George Washington Carver, born into slavery in 1865, created a synthetic rubber from sweet potatoes. At the time he created this, it was a critical need as the ongoing World War at the time led to a shortage of rubber, so by being able to synthetically create rubber it kept crucial production going. Today, more than 2/3 of rubber used for manufacturing is created synthetically, so it is a lasting and important creation from George Washington Carver.
Three-Phase Traffic System
Garrett Morgan owned various successful clothing shops and also a Black newspaper business in Cleveland, meaning he was fortunate enough to own a car. In 1923, he witnessed a terrible road traffic collision, sparking his entrepreneurial side into finding a solution to keep people safe on the roads. He also noticed at the time road signs, if the road even had any present, only said ‘Stop’ or ‘Go’. He added ‘All Hold’ to this (which we recognise as the Amber light now), and created a manually operated T-shaped pole that allowed you to cycle between ‘Stop’, ‘All Hold’ and ‘Go’ (Red, Amber and Green). Such a pivotal invention did not go unnoticed, as his invention was bought by General Electric for $40,000, quite a hefty sum in the 1920s! Could you imagine our roads without the classic Red, Amber and Green traffic lights? Well thanks to Garrett Morgan, we’ve never had to give it a second thought!
Refrigerated Vehicles
Frederick McKinley Jones created and patented technology that refrigerated the contents in a haulage vehicle. This technology was hugely revolutionary as it allowed large vehicles to transport perishable goods such as food over long distances – without the worry of them going bad! If you get your food shopping home delivered, Frederick Jones is the man to thank for this industry changing creation!
The above are just some of the inventions that not only had an impact on their generation at the time, but are still essential to us today!
We hope everybody has a great time celebrating this month! Remember, during the celebrations there will be more pedestrians and road users around, so drive with added care and attention to help keep everybody safe!
