Parker, John P.
1827-1900 · Contribution: 1850s-1880s
Invented a tobacco screw press; founded an iron foundry
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Used his earnings from inventing and foundry work to buy his own freedom from slavery, then built a successful Ohio iron foundry while also playing an active role in the Underground Railroad.
Life & background
Born enslaved, Parker apprenticed in Mobile, Alabama's iron foundries and earned extra money on the side until he purchased his own freedom. He moved to Ripley, Ohio in 1850, established an iron foundry, and patented a tobacco screw press among other inventions, all while becoming deeply involved in Underground Railroad activities helping other enslaved people escape to freedom.
Sources
- MIT Press Reader (300 Years of African-American Invention and Innovation); BlackPast.org
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