A fight ensued and shots were fired. Elizabeth Jennings first developed a love for writing in university. Yet, Jennings was undeterred. Interesting Facts. 1824, d. 1886), Elizabeth Jennings (b. EIN: 41-0953924, He is the earliest that we have recorded, says Pat Sluby, a retired U.S. patent examiner and the author of , . Jennings died just a few years later in 1859, which was itself just a few years before the practice he so reviledenslavementwas abolished. This is a method for cleaning clothes that paved modern-day dry cleaning. He later described the nation's new capital as "a . 1. Jennings is not one of them. Born Jan. 1, 1791 - Died Feb. 11, 1859 Thomas Jennings invented a process he called "dry-scouring," receiving a patent in 1821 and becoming the first African American to be granted a patent. Some black inventors hid their race to avoid discrimination, even though the language of patent law was officially color-blind. In 1821, an African American business owner named Thomas Jennings invented the dry cleaning process and was one of the first African Americans to be granted a patent. Jennings invented a process called dry scouring, a forerunner of modern dry cleaning. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. She first came into the spotlight in 2007 when she was interviewed by Barbra Walters on 20/20. At that time, patenting was seen to be a God-given ability. A lot of work went into crafting the iconic outfits, writing the memorable lines, and building the elaborate sets on the show. You rely on Marketplace to break down the worlds events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. Your Privacy Rights 24 2017, Updated 8:35 a.m. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Thomas L. Jennings was born to a free Black family in New York City. https://www.thoughtco.com/thomas-jennings-inventor-1991311 (accessed March 1, 2023). Jenningss work even caught the attention of Frederick Douglass, the abolitionist hero. Read more, These men and women risked and sometimes lost their life to fight for the cause. It went all the way to the Supreme Court, with none other than attorney Chester Arthur, future President of the United States, winning the case for Jennings. Thomas Jennings (1791Feb. Jennings skills were so admired that people near and far came to him to alter or custom-tailor items of clothing for them. She is the author of Homeward Bound: Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity. All Rights Reserved. As of 2004, about 2,800 of the X-patents have been recovered. Slavery, at this time, wasnt even fully abolished in New York state. He would go on to found or support a number of charities and legal aid societies, as well as Freedoms Journal, the first black-owned newspaper in America, and the influential Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. Indianapolis. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. 2023 Minnesota Public Radio. Besides all the other indignities and cruelties African American slaves had to face, they were also ineligible to hold a patent. His patent made him a fortune for the time. Bellis, Mary. Here are 10 additional interesting facts about William Jennings Bryan. If you cannot remember your login information, click the Forgot Password link to reset your password. Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. He was 30 years old when he was granted a patent for a dry cleaning process. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you. He says that when Jennings became an adult, he started his own tailoring business, and saw a market opportunity for a better way to clean clothes. Ms. Jennings would ultimately win her case in front of the Brooklyn Circuit Court in 1855. In 2015, Thomas & Friends celebrated their 70th anniversary. Cookie Settings, The Inventive Spirit of African-Americans, invented an enormous number of technologies, Homeward Bound: Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity. Thomas Jennings: African American Inventor Home History Civil Rights Politicians Artists Scientists War Heroes Athletes 256 Google Plus 236 Privacy Disclaimer 58 Advertise with us 72 Contact Us Sitemap Don't miss a single page. He has the distinction of being the first African-American patent -holder in history; he was granted the patent in 1821 for his novel method of dry cleaning. Before the fire, patents werent numbered, just catalogued by their name and issue date. The couple's only son, he spent his early years in. When he's not busy being an editor, he is an avid artist who enjoys painting in a variety of styles. " [U.S. Patent No. Born in 1791, Jennings held a variety of odd jobs until he began . Biography of Thomas Jennings, First African American Patent Holder. Thomas Jennings. Discover m. 10 Important Black Inventors in U.S. History, Famous Black Inventors of the 19th- and Early 20th-Centuries, Biography of John Stanard, Inventor of a Better Refrigerator, Biography of Nathaniel Alexander, Inventor of a Folding Chair, Biography of Garrett Morgan, Inventor of the Gas Mask, Biography of Elijah McCoy, American Inventor, Notable African American Patent Holders With Surnames of O, P, Q, R, Biography of Patricia Bath, American Doctor and Inventor, Biography of Eli Whitney, Inventor of the Cotton Gin, Biography of Lewis Latimer, Noted Black Inventor, Elias Howe: Inventor of the Lock Stitch Sewing Machine, Black History Month - African American Patent Holders - B. Sally Hemings (1773-1835) is one of the most famousand least knownAfrican American women in U.S. history. | READ MORE. Jennings' invention, along with his business expertise, yielded a significant personal fortune much of which he put into the Abolitionist movement in the United States. But for the great majority of black people in America before the Civil War, patents were unobtainable, as an enslaved persons inventions legally belonged to his or her master. Jennings was born in 1791 in New York City. Having his birthday on March 4, the zodiac sign of Garth Jennings is Pisces. Historical records only show the real inventor's name as being Ned. At age 10, he accompanied the Madisons to Washington after James was elected president. His invention was called "dry scouring" and his patenting was important because it represented the first patent. Elizabeth Jennings became a schoolteacher, activist, and church organist and was the wife of Charles Graham, whom she married on June 18, 1860. 10 Interesting Facts That You Can Use to Start Cas WTF Fun Fact Bob Dylan Corrupts Beatles. Shortly before his death, his daughter Elizabeth won a benchmark lawsuit. Thomas Jennings earned a large amount of money as a tailor and with his dry scouring invention made even more. Eventually, Jennings reputation grew such that he was able to open his own store on Church street which grew into one of the largest clothing stores in New York City. 3306x] is one of the so-called 'X-patents,' a group of 10,000 or so patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office between its creation in 1790 and 1836, when a fire. WTF Fun Fact Trash Cleanup Brings Olive Ridley H 21 Shower Thoughts That Will Make You Think Twice, WTF Fun Fact Half The Penicillin In The USA. Being a member of the Democratic Party, he was known for his knack for delivering speeches. 10 Astonishing Facts Guaranteed to Give You a New WTF Fun Fact 25th Amendment And The Colon, WTF Fun Fact Wasteful Cosmetic Food Standards, National Shower With A Friend Day | February 5, WTF Fun Fact A Monkey Faced Orchid Named Dracula. Born: September 4, 1848 in Chelsea, Massachusetts Parents: Rebecca and George Latimer Died: December 11, 1928 in Flushing, Queens, New York Published Works: Incandescent Electric Lighting: A Practical Description of the Edison System Spouse: Mary Wilson Children: Emma Jeanette, Louise Rebecca Jennings filed for a patent in 1820 and was granted a patent for the "dry-scouring" (dry cleaning) process he had invented just a year later. In 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart ditched a fancy dinner in Washington, D.C., and hopped into an Eastern Air Transport Curtis Condor for a quick trip to Baltimore and back, according to The Baltimore Sun. Cookie Policy Edmund Jennings Randolph succeeded Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State on January 2, 1794.Like Jefferson, Randolph resigned from office. Jefferson needed the cash to pay off debts, but he started buying more books. Much of his apparently substantial earnings from the invention went towards the fight for abolition. WTF Fun Facts Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_L._Jennings, Its hasnt been fixedthat photo is Garett Morgan. He patented the process in 1821, making him likely the first black person in America to receive a patent. The next time you pick up your clothes at the dry cleaner, send a thank you to the memory of Thomas Jennings. The third President, after his retirement, sold his library of 6,500 volumes to the Library of Congress after it was ransacked by the British. Thomas L. Jennings inventor Born: 1791 Birthplace: New York, N.Y. A tailor in New York City, Jennings is credited with being the first African American to hold a U.S. patent. With support from her father, Elizabeth sued the Third Avenue Railroad Company for discrimination and won her case in 1855. 2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. It was in 1890 that William Jennings Bryan formally started his political career. He built a business and married a woman named Elizabeth from Delaware, who was born into slavery. The white infringer would have been believed. The conductor ordered her to get off. The day after the verdict, the company ordered its cars desegregated. Speeches In 1821, an African American business owner named Thomas Jennings invented the dry cleaning process and was one of the Read More & Source. See Jonathan Jennings's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. The conductor undertook to get her off, first alleging the car was full; when that was shown to be false, he pretended the other passengers were displeased at her presence; but (when) she insisted on her rights, he took hold of her by force to expel her. We hope you take the time to click on each image to see a larger view and to learn what the artist, Michael Arnold has to say about his paintings. Jennings was 30 years old when he received his patent on March 3, 1821 (U.S. patent 3306x), becoming the first African American inventor to own the rights to his invention. He called his method dry-scouring and it is the process that we now refer to as dry-cleaning. Indiana is the 17th most populous state in the US, with 6,785,528 (2020 Census). Thomas L. Jennings was an African-American tradesman and abolitionist. ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/thomas-jennings-inventor-1991311. Sade Adu is a Nigerian-born English singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer. Jennings later went on to become a DJ at that same station. Thomas Jennings stands in history as a noteworthy figure for being the first Black person to ever receive a patent, but his life should serve as an example of what was, and what could have been, for Black people in the earliest years of the United States. Thomas and Martha Jefferson had six children together, five girls and one boy. 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