McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP is proud to celebrate Black History Month in recognition of it as an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans in spotlighting their critical role in U.S. history. In this regard, we are highlighting noteworthy African American inventors whose creations changed the world.
Although George Washington Carver is perhaps most famously known for giving the world peanut butter, his inventions go well beyond it. Recognized as the most prominent African American scientist of the early 20th century, Carver was an esteemed agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to address soil depletion. His efforts to increase the profitability of sweet potatoes and peanuts led to the creation of 518 new products from these crops including, for example, ink, dye, soap, cosmetics, flour, vinegar, and synthetic rubber.