Did you know that 🤔🤔🤔

[MysteRy]

🚦 Garrett Morgan: The Inventor Who Changed Traffic Safety and Saved Lives ✊🏾🐾

Garrett Augustus Morgan was born in 1877, the son of former slaves, living in a time when being African American meant facing rejection, discrimination, and many barriers 🚫. But Morgan’s courage and determination turned those walls into stepping stones 💪🏾.

In the busy streets of the early 1900s, Morgan noticed a serious problem: the lack of clear traffic signals that told drivers when to stop and when to go, leading to dangerous accidents 🚗💥. Inspired to make a change, in 1923 he patented a traffic signal 🚦 that added a third "caution" position between "stop" and "go." This simple but revolutionary idea helped drivers prepare for changes, making roads safer for everyone 🛣️.

While Morgan was not the original inventor of the traffic light, his innovation greatly improved how intersections were managed 🛑➡️🚘. However, due to racial discrimination, Morgan had to rely on white intermediaries to sell his invention because many businesses refused to work with a Black inventor 😔.

But Morgan’s impact didn’t stop there. In 1914, he patented a safety hood and smoke protection device 🛡️🔥—an early version of the gas mask—that saved countless lives during fires, mine rescues, and even World War I 🌍⚔️.

Morgan never sought fame or fortune. He worked quietly, focused on protecting and improving lives regardless of color or status 🖤✨.

His story is a powerful reminder: when society puts up barriers, a strong purpose can turn a red light into green 🚦➡️💚.