Humanities › History & Culture Black History Month - African American Inventors Patent Holders List Index M Share Flipboard Email Print Tara Moore/ Taxi/ Getty Images History & Culture Inventions Famous Inventors Famous Inventions Patents & Trademarks Invention Timelines Computers & The Internet American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture Asian History European History Genealogy Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Mary Bellis Mary Bellis Inventions Expert Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on July 03, 2019 Black history inventors are listed alphabetically: use the A to Z index bar to navigate and select or just browse the many listings. Each listing has the name of the Black inventor followed by the patent number(s) which is the unique number assigned to an invention when a patent is issued, the date the patent was issued, and a description of the invention as written by the inventor. If available, links are provided to in-depth articles, biographies, illustrations and photos on each individual inventor or patent. James J. Mabary #530699, 12/11/1894, cutter for trimming soles of boots or shoes#532171, 1/6/1895, cutter for trimming soles of boots or shoes Arthur L MacBeth #1,419,281, 6/13/1922, Picture projection theater Hugh D MacDonald Jr.#3,447,767, 6/3/1969, Rocket catapult John L Mack #4,596,041, 6/17/1986, Participant-identification recording and playback system Shannon L Madison #3,208,232, 9/28/1965, Refrigerating apparatus#4,793,820, 12/27/1988, Electrical wiring harness termination system Walter G Madison #1,047,098, 12/10/1912, Flying machine Kenneth Morgan Maloney #3,868,266, 2/25/1975, Alumina coatings for an electric lamp#4,079,288, 3/13/1978, Alumina coatings for mercury vapor lamps Calvin R Mapp #4,033,347, 7/5/1977, Disposable syringe Patrick Marshall #5,947,121, 9/7/1999, Tracheotomy tube water blocking system Willis Marshall #341,589, 5/11/1886, Grain binder Thomas J Martin #125,063, 3/26/1872, Improvement in fire extinguishers Washington A Martin #407,738, 7/23/1889, Lock#443,945, 12/30/1890, Lock Onassis Matthews #6,704,638, 3/9/2004, Torque estimator for engine RPM and torque control, Co-inventors Michael Livshiz, Joseph Robert Dulzo, Donovan L Dibble, Alfred E Spitza, Jr, Scott Joseph Chynoweth#6,761,146, 7/13/2004, Model following torque control, Co-inventors Michael Livshiz, Joseph Robert Dulzo, Donovan L Dibble, Scott Joseph Chynoweth#7,069,136, 6/27/2006, Acceleration based cruise control system, Co-inventors Tameem K Assaf, Joseph R Dulzo#7,159,623, 1/9/2007, Apparatus and methods for estimating vehicle fuel composition, Co-inventors Mark D Carr, Joseph R Dulzo, Christopher R Graham, Richard B Jess, Ian J MacEwen, Jeffrey A Sell, Michael J Svestka, Julian R Verdejo Jan Ernst Matzeliger #274,207, 3/20/1883, Automatic method for lasting shoes #421,954, 2/25/1890, Nailing machine #423,937, 3/25/1890, Tack separating and distributing mechanism #459,899, 9/22/1891, Lasting machine #415,726, 11/26/1899, Mechanism for distributing tacks, nails, etc. L < Mabary to Matzeliger, McCarter to Mitchell, Montgomery to Murray > N Andre McCarter #6,049,910, 4/18/2000, 6,049,910, Athletic training glove Walter N McClennan #1,333,430, 3/9/1920, Automatic railway car door#RE 15,338, 4/18/1922, Car door actuating mechanism#1,518,208, 12/9/1924, Coin mechanism Elijah McCoy #129,843, 7/23/1872, automatic oil cup #130,305, 8/6/1872, Improvement in lubricators for steam engines #139,407, 5/27/1873, Improvement in lubricator #146,697, 1/20/1874, Improvement in steam lubricators #150,876, 5/12/1874, Improvement in ironing tables #173,032, 2/1/1876, Improvement in steam cylinder lubricator #179,585, 7/4/1876, Improvement in steam cylinder lubricators #255,443, 3/28/1882, Lubricator #261,166, 7/18/1882, Lubricator #320,354, 6/16/1885, Lubricator #320,379, 6/16/1885, Steam dome for locomotives #357,491, 2/8/1887, Lubricator #361,435, 4/19/1887, Lubricator attachment #363,529, 5/24/1887, Lubricator for slide valves #383,745, 5/29/1888, Lubricator #383,746, 5/29/1888, Lubricator #418,139, 12/24/1889, Lubricator (co-inventor Clarence B Hodges) #460,215, 9/29/1891, Dope cup #465,875, 12/29/1891, Lubricator #472,066, 4/5/1892, Lubricator #610,634, 9/13/1898, Lubricator #611,759, 10/4/1898, Lubricator #614,307, 11/15/1898, Oil cup #627,623, 6/27/1899, Lubricator Melvin McCoy #4,664,395, 5/12/1987, Multi-purpose uniaxial litter enginery or M.U.L.E. Daniel McCree #440,322, 11/11/1890, Portable fire escape DeWayne McCulley #5,202,726, 4/13/1993, Facilitation of the diagnosis of malfunctions and set-up of a reproduction machine. Hansel L McGee #3,214,282, 10/26/1965, Method of preparation of carbon transfer inks Lawrence McNair D546453, 7/10/2007, Ray Cassette Holder (for the medical field of Radiology) Luther McNair #1,034,636, 8/6/1912, Sanitary attachment for drinking glasses Albert Mendenhall #637,811, 11/28/1899, Holder for driving reins Alexander Miles #371,207, 10/11/1887, Elevator James E Millington #3,316,178, 4/25/1967, Thermostable dielectric material#4,286,069, 8/25/1981, Method of making expandable styrene-type beads#4,730,027, 3/8/1988, Method of making styrene-type polymer comprising suspension polymerization conducted in aqueous medium containing combination of polyvinyl alcohol and sulfonated polystyrene or sulfonated styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer. Ruth J Miro #6,113,298, 9/5/2000, Paper ring #6,764,100, 7/20/2004, Stationery organizer Charles Lewis Mitchell #291,071 1/1/1884 Device for aid in vocal culture James M Mitchell #641,462 1/16/1900 Check row corn planter James W Mitchell #5,441,013 8/15/1995 Method for growing continuous diamond films L < Mabary to Matzeliger, McCarter to Mitchell, Montgomery to Murray > N Jay H Montgomery #1,910,626, 5/23/1933, Aeroplane aerofoil wing Jay Montgomery #1,694,680, 12/11/1928, Food product and process of producing the same William U Moody #D 27,046, 5/11/1897, Design for a game board Jerome Moore #5252787, 10/12/1993, Combine Stethoscope & Watch, Co-inventors Gwendolyn Moore and Sidney L Harley #D346973, 5/17/1994, Combine Stethoscope & Watch, Co-inventor Gwendolyn Moore #D284790, 7/22/1986, Stethoscope with flexible Sound Tubing #D298054, 10/11/1988, Trauma Cassette Holder for lateral X-Rays #D370497, 6/4/1996, Combine Light & Writing Pen on Rope, Co-inventor Gwendolyn Moore #D387160, 12/2/1997, Recording Stethoscope, Co-inventor Gwendolyn Moore #D394314, 5/12/1998, CardioCare Stethoscope, Co-inventors Gwendolyn Moore and Shiu Wen Kao Samuel Moore #1,608,903, 11/30/1926, Self-directing headlight#1,658,534, 2/7/1928, Vehicle-headlight mechanism#1,659,328, 2/14/1928, Locomotive headlight#1,705,991, 3/19/1929, Hobby horse#2,006,027, 6/25/1935, Fuel-valve lock for motor vehicles SherLann D Moore #6,101,643, 8/15/2000, Portable Hot Sink System King Morehead #568,916, 10/6/1896, Reel carrier Garrett A Morgan #1,113,675, 10/13/1914, gas mask #1,475,024, 11/20/1923, automatic traffic signal Joel Morton Morris #3,688,047 8/29/1972 Switching system charging arrangement William L Muckelroy #3,691,497, 9/21/1972, Leadless microminiature inductance element with closed magnetic circuit#3,812,442, 5/21/1974, Ceramic inductor Nathaniel John Mullen #3,880,542, 4/29/1975, Asphalt paving vehicles Wilbert Murdock #4,608,998, 9/2/1986, Knee alignment monitoring apparatus George W Murray #517,960, 4/10/1894, Combined furrow opener and stalk-knocker #517,961, 4/10/1894, Cultivator and marker #520,887, 6/5/1894, Planter #520,888, 6/5/1894, Cotton chopper #520,889, 6/5/1894, Fertilizer distributor #520,890, 6/5/1894, Planter #520,891, 6/5/1894, Combined cotton seed planter and fertilizer distributor #520,892, 6/5/1894, Reaper William Murray #99,463, 2/1/1870, Corn harvester#445,452, 1/27/1891, Attachment for bicycles Continue Black history database > N Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Bellis, Mary. "Black History Month - African American Inventors." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/african-american-inventors-m-1991297. Bellis, Mary. (2021, July 31). Black History Month - African American Inventors. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/african-american-inventors-m-1991297 Bellis, Mary. "Black History Month - African American Inventors." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/african-american-inventors-m-1991297 (accessed March 31, 2023). copy citation Featured Video