Celebrating Black brilliance in every form
The Black Inventors & Innovators series was created to honor the creativity, courage, and genius of Black people whose ideas shaped the world — whether or not they held a patent.
For generations, many Black innovators faced barriers that made it difficult or impossible to patent their creations. These barriers included racism, lack of access to money, limited legal support, literacy restrictions, and workplace rules that prevented people from claiming ownership of their ideas.
Because of this, some of the most important contributions in Black history were never formally documented in the patent system.
This series honors all forms of Black innovation:
- Patent‑holding inventors
- Innovators whose ideas changed everyday life
- Creators whose work was uncredited or stolen
- Problem‑solvers who improved their communities
- Modern engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs
Correcting the Record
Some historical stories have been misunderstood or oversimplified over time. For example:
- Sarah Goode is often called the first Black woman to receive a U.S. patent — but the true first was Judy W. Reed, who signed her patent with an “X.”
- George Crum is credited with the potato chip, but he never filed a patent, and historians do not know why. Many Black innovators of his era faced barriers that prevented them from protecting their ideas.
- Many Black women inventors were never properly credited because they could not sign their names, afford legal help, or navigate a system not built for them.
By expanding the series to Inventors & Innovators, we honor the full truth — not just the stories that survived on paper.
Our Mission
Every book in this series tells the story of a real person, a real problem they faced, and the creative way they solved it. Children will see themselves as thinkers, builders, dreamers, and doers.
Black, Beautiful, Brilliant, YOU! This is more than a slogan — it’s the heartbeat of the series.