Garrett Morgan
Garrett Augustus Morgan was born on March 4, 1877 in Paris, Kentucky, the seventh of eleven children to Sydney and Elizabeth Morgan. His parents had previously been slaves, freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. At the early age of 14, Morgan decided to travel north to Ohio in the hopes of receiving better education opportunities. During those times, there were better opportunities for blacks in the northern part of the country. Still, Morgan’s formal education never surpassed elementary school. He moved to Cincinnati and then to Cleveland, working as a handyman in order to make ends meet. In Cleveland, he learned the inner workings of the sewing machine and in opened his own sewing machine store in 1907, where he both sold new machines and repaired old ones. In 1908 Morgan married Mary Anne Hassek with whom he later had three sons.
In 1909, Morgan opened a tailoring shop, selling coats, suits and dresses. While working in this shop he came upon a discovery which brought about his first invention. He noticed that the needle of a sewing machine moved with such a high speed that often its friction would scorch the thread of woolen materials. He then set out to develop a liquid that would be a useful polish to the needle, reducing friction. Once, when his wife called him to dinner, he wiped the liquid from his hands onto a piece of pony-fur cloth. When he returned to his workshop, he saw that the fibers on the cloth were now standing straight. He conceived that the fluid had actually straightened the fibers. In order to confirm his theory, he decided to apply some of the fluid to the hair of a neighbor's dog. The fluid straightened the dog's hair so much, that the neighbor, not recognizing his own pet, chased the animal away. Morgan then decided try the fluid on himself, trying small portions of his hair at first, and eventually his entire head. He was successful and had invented the first human-hair straightener. This invention has helped a lot commercially. A lot of today’s media features people with straightened hair. This might not be possible if Garrett Morgan hadn’t made the contributions he did. He marketed the product under the name the G. A. Morgan Hair Refining Cream and sold by his G. A. Morgan Refining Company, which became a very successful business.
The texture of her hair was somehow both firm and soft, springy, with the clean, fresh scent of almonds. It was a warm black, and sunlight was caught in each kink and crinkle, so that up close there was a lot of purple and blue. I could feel how, miraculously, each lock wove itself into a flat or rounded pattern shortly after it left her scalp- a machine could not have done it with more precision- so that the “matting” I had assumed was characteristics of dreadlocks could be more accurately be described as “knitting”. (Walker 232)
One of the great questions Americans could ask of history is: How could a nation be founded upon freedom and liberty but enslave twenty percent of its citizens? Edmund S. Morgan attempts to answer this question in American Slavery, American Freedom. This is a magnificently researched book that sets out to cut to the root of this great topic, slavery and freedom. His thesis, how freedom came to be supported by slavery, a relationship of exact opposites, is one that many Americans continue to have trouble accepting. Morgan asserts that the answers to this hypocritical situation lie in Virginia since that state was the most influential and most populated in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Garrett morgan was a very accomplished man who was self educated and really contributed to society. He invented the original traffic light and he invented the original gas mask which saved many people's lives in many dangerous situations.
Ulysses S Grant born Hiram Ulysses Grant was born on 27 April 1822 in Pleasant, Ohio. Grant and his family moved to Georgetown, Ohio, just one year after his birth. Grant was a graduate of West Point in 1843 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry stationed in Missouri. Grant was married Julia Dent and had four children later in marriage. Grant served in the Mexican-American War and he resigned from the military in 1854 after being stationed for several years away from his family. Grant tried a few different occupations after resigning from the Army such as a Farmer, Realtor, and after moving to Galena, Illinois, worked at his father’s leather goods business but failed at all these occupations. Grant was promoted to Colonel in the 21st Illinois Volunteers in April 1861after the start of the Civil War. Grant was then promoted to the rank of Brigadier General later that summer by President Abraham Lincoln. (www.histo...
He was born to William and Elizabeth Cooper in Burlington, New Jersey on September 15, 1789. Cooper’s father was a congressman during the Washington administration. Elizabeth was a member of a New Jersey Quaker family and William was the founder of a frontier settlement. At one year old, his family moved to a primitive settlement in upstate New York. As the 11th of 12 children, he was fortunate to not have to endure the rough part of frontier of life. Most of his education was without books and teaching from his family.
There have been many historical figures throughout the existence of the United States. However, there are two that I find exceptionally interesting. These two historical figures are the 16th United States President, Abraham Lincoln and the 4th United States President, James Madison. Both Abraham Lincoln and James Madison were not just extraordinary Presidents, but they also believed in freedom and the basic rights of life for all citizens.
Frederick James Stanley Mead was born in Adelaide on the 30th of June 1890. He was the son of Elizabeth Maunder (Mead) and John Mead. He had one brother and three sisters. During his early years he attended Parkside Primary School. Once he had finished schooling, he decided to become a Wharf builder. When Australia announced it needed soldiers, Frederick was quick to join up. He enlisted on the 19th of August 1914 in Morphettville.
Augustus DeMorgan was an English mathematician, logician, and bibliographer. He was born in June 1806 at Madura, Madras presidency, India and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1823. Augustus DeMorgan had passed away on March 18, 1871, in London.
Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey was born in Talbot County, Maryland in February 1818. Born into slavery, Frederick spent an early part of his life living with his grandmother, Betty Bailey. He would later be moved to the home of his plantation owners, one of which may have been his father, Aaron Anthony. At the age of eight, he would then be moved to the home of Hugh Auld, in Baltimore, Maryland. This would be a very
Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky. He went to school there for only a few weeks (Leland, pg.20), but had to move to Illinois because his father had a problem with the owner of the land. Lincolns mother died when he was only 9 years old in 1818, her maiden name was Nancy hanks (Leland, pg.9). She died from the ‘’Miller Fever’’ which is what the common sickness was called in Western America. Before the age of 20 he had lost his mother, older sister and infant brother (Guelzo pg.123). Lincoln distinguished himself as a writer, after he realized that he made spelling his favorite subject. He was then at the height of about six foot six inches and was only at the age of 16 (Leland, pg.21). Lincoln worked as a ferry-man for a person named James Taylor in 1825, aside from that he was also a farmer, cooked for his mistress and would study mostly till midnight (Leland, pg.25-26).
Every child has had something that influenced them to become more in life. It could have been a toy car to a doll, a family member or a friend; it made them want to find a higher calling in the world. For Garrett Morgan, it was the sewing machine. Introduced to the sewing machine at a young age, Garrett continued to become more curious about the works of such a compelling contraption. He observed different problems surrounding his community and found a way to make it better. Although he had lacked education and was born a black man in the years of racial oppression, it did not stop him from overcoming the restrictions and hardships that he was born to; therefore becoming one of the greatest known inventors in the world.
“Do you ever think of death? She asked him. Of course. Often. Don’t you?”(Forsyth 220) Frederick Forsyth is a British author who writes thrillers and suspense books. He was a journalist and a reporter for The Eastern Daily Press and a correspondent for the British Broadcasting Corporation before becoming an author. Forsyth started writing in the 1960’s and also started to write short stories. (My Hols) Frederick Forsyth was influenced in his life by the time period, society, and his experiences to produce his works. His writing style followed current events and had some truth behind them. (Gonzalez)
"It comforted him. For almost four years it meant a lot to him," ends the short story, "The Life of Lincoln West" by Gwendolyn Brooks. This quote suggests that the eleven-year-old Lincoln commits suicide. Why would he do this? Because of the crushing rejection of Lincoln by his parents, teacher, friends, and strangers, he ends his life.
The wealth of the Morgan family did not begin with Pierpont but with his grandfather Joseph Morgan. Joseph prospered as a hotelkeeper in Hartford, Connecticut. He helped to organize a canal company, steamboat lines and the new railroad that connected Hartford with Springfield. Finally he became one of the founders of the Aetna Fire Insurance Company. Joseph's first son was Junius Spencer Morgan, also destined for the life of a businessman. He spent a number of years as a dry-goods merchant before moving to Boston and into the foreign trade business. Junius was invited to join the firm of George Peabody & Co. in 1854. In 1864 Junius took over the Peabody Company and changed the name to J.S. Morgan & Co.
“Love is true and solemnly between two people, a deep devotion shared.” This is the quote that lay under my shrine of Garrett. He was so beautiful, with his long gold locks, and his sun kissed skin. I loved him so much, he was the perfect boy. Today I had to look my very best, as it was the first day of my second year at Newhall High. I woke up at five in the morning to do my hair and makeup perfectly. I didn’t have to worry about my outfit, as I stayed up until three picking it out the night before. Everyday since the sixth grade, I forced myself to kiss goodbye my shrine of Garrett, and if I didn’t, it would mess up my entire daily routine for the day. If everything wasn’t perfectly perfect, how could I function?