Lewis Howard Latimer - Info sheet

Lewis Howard Latimer was a pioneering inventor and draftsman born in 1848 in Boston, Massachusetts, to parents who had both been enslaved. At the young age of 16, he displayed his commitment to the cause of freedom by enlisting in the Navy to fight with the Northern forces during the American Civil War. Following his military service, Latimer found employment with a patent law firm, where he taught himself the art of drafting, eventually becoming the firm's chief draftsman by 1866. His exceptional skills caught the attention of Alexander Graham Bell, who in 1876 enlisted Latimer's help to create the patent drawings for the first working telephone.

Latimer's contributions to technology continued to shine when, in 1881, he invented and patented a carbon filament that significantly enhanced the longevity of light bulbs, a development that was crucial to the widespread adoption of electric lighting. His expertise in this field was further cemented in 1890 when he authored the first book on electric lighting, sharing his knowledge and shaping the future of electrical illumination. Although not British, Latimer's innovations have had a profound and lasting impact on lives around the globe, and his work, particularly in improving the electric light bulb and assisting in the patenting of the telephone, places him among the most influential figures in the history of technology and the advancement of civil rights for black people.