A Man of Science & PoetryThe Life of Lewis Howard Latimer

By Danusia H. DankoScience 8

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

•Overview•His Parents•His

Childhood•His Career•His Death•Bibliography

Overview

• “Lewis Howard Latimer was a pioneer in the development of the electric light bulb. He was the son of a former slave, and was the only Black member of Thomas Edison's research team of noted scientists. While Edison invented the incandescent bulb, it was Latimer who developed and patented the process for manufacturing the carbon filaments within the bulb.”

““The Living may our praise The Living may our praise proclaim,proclaim,…To keep alive fond memory’s …To keep alive fond memory’s flame.”flame.”• Mr. Latimer is remembered for

his many electrical inventions and his talent in poetry.

• He was also a musician • He was proud of his color as he

professed in his poem, Ebon Venus– “… Each to his taste, but as for me,

My Venus shall be ebony.”

His Parents

• Father – George Latimer

• Mother - Rebecca• Runaway slaves

from Virginia• Father was light-

skinned and posed as Rebecca’s slave owner

His Parents

• Went to Boston and became one of several famous fugitive slave cases when the owner came looking for him.

• Frederick Douglass and William Garrison defended them

• Minister paid $400 to buy George’s freedom after a judge ruled him still property

His Childhood

• Born 1848 in Chelsea,

Massachusetts• Two brothers and

a sister

Chelsea: An inner urban suburb of Boston

Worked to support family

• Before the Civil War, Lewis sold newspapers

• written by William Lloyd Garrison, an abolitionist

• Father was barber, paper hanger, and did other odd jobs

• Lewis often worked with him

Lewis’s father deserts the family

• Dred Scott decision frightened Mr. Latimer since he had no proof that minister bought his freedom

• Leaves family so as not to endanger their freedom

• Lewis, at age of ten had to work to help support the family

Civil War

• Lewis joined the Navy at 16 years old

• Served as a “landsman” on the U.S.S. Massasoit

• Honorably discharged in 1865 and returned to Boston

His Family

• Married Mary Wilson, Dec. 10, 1873

• Wrote a poem, “Ebon Venus” for the occasion (translated as “Black is Beautiful”)

• Published book, Poems of Love & Life

• Lewis and Mary had two daughters

His Career: A Talent for Drawing

• Worked in patent office as office boy

• Hired due to his drawing abilities

• Self-taught drafting since patents had to be accompanied by detailed drawings

• Worked up tochief draftsman

Works with Bell on phone patents

• Alexander Bell asked Latimer to help with the patent applications

• Latimer ended up creating the drawings and prepared the descriptions of the telephone invention

• Patent issued in 1876

Develops his own inventions

• Feb 10, 1874: Water Closets for Railway Cars; had a special closed, pivoted bottom that closed automatically by raising of seat cover and opened by closing of seat cover

Latimer’s drawingof an incandescent light fixture

Latimer’s drawings of arc light components

Part of the Electric Industry

• 1880: Hired as draftsman for U.S. Electric Lighting Co.

• Studied electricity, conducted experiments to improve the Edison incandescent lamp

• 1881: Received patent for “Electric Lamp”

Part of the Electric Industry

• Basically improved the method of mounting the carbons in lamp

• 1882: Most important patent, “ Process of Manufacturing Carbons”

Lighting up New York City & Beyond

• Responsible for installing electric light plants

• Wired lamps in parallel circuits instead of series circuits as had been the custom– Lit up Philadelphia– Toronto, as well (so

had to learn French to be able to teach the Canadian workers)

– London

Meeting with Edison

• 1884 hired by Edison with the engineering dept. of the Edison Electric Co., NY City

• 1886, became invaluable to Edison in being his expert legal witness in number patent disputes

• 1896, when Edison Co. became General Electric Co, Latimer became chief draftsman and expert witness

Beyond Edison

• 1890: Latimer wrote the standard book on electric lighting

Just Inventive

• 1886, patent for “Apparatus for Cooling and Disinfecting”

• 1896, Locking Rack for Hats, Coats, and Umbrellas

• 1905, Book Supports

His Death

• 1924, December 11• …Broadmindedness,

versatility in the accomplishment of things intellectual and cultural, a linguist,a devoted husband and father…his genial presence will be missed from our gatherings. Mr. Latimer was a full member, and an esteemed one, of the Edison Pioneers”

Further Tribute

• 1968, Brooklyn, New York, public school named after Latimer

• Grandson & granddaughter present at dedication

• NY State legislature, member of NYC Board of Ed. & President of the Borough of Brooklyn

Bibliography

• www.edisonkids.com/heroexb/lewis• www.fplsafetyworld.com/science/

pioneers.