Latimer, Lewis

1848-1928 · Contribution: 1881

Inventor and draftsman

Carbon filament for incandescent light bulbs; patent drafting for telephone

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Technology & Engineering: collage image
Technology & Engineering

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Quick facts

Born
1848, Chelsea, Massachusetts
Active since
1874
Category
Technology & Engineering
Best known for
Improved carbon filament for the light bulb

Impact on the world

The son of formerly enslaved parents, Latimer made electric light more practical and worked at the center of two era-defining inventions, the light bulb and the telephone.

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Sources

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    National Inventors Hall of Fame

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