Page 35 - Florida Sentinel 2-5-16 (2)

Black History: Inventions That Changed The World
FREDERICK MCKINLEY JONES
One of the most prolific Black inventors ever, Freder- ick McKinley Jones patented more than 60 inven- tions in his lifetime. While more than 40 of those patents were in the field of refrigera- tion, Jones is most famous for inventing an automatic re- frigeration system for long
haul trucks and railroad cars.
In addition to that refrigerator invention, Jones also in-
vented an air-conditioning unit for military field hospitals, a refrigerator for military field kitchens, and a self-starting gas engine, a series of devices for movie projectors and box- office equipment that gave tickets and made change. Jones was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Technology in 1991 – the first Black inventor to ever re- ceive such an honor.
GEORGE CARRUTHERS
George Carruthers was born in 1939 and is cred- ited with the invention of the far ultraviolet camera/ spectrograph in 1969. It was plated in gold and car- ried aboard the Apollo 16 mission, where it was placed on the moon's surface.
The camera used ultraviolet light, invisible to the naked eye, to capture high-quality images of Earth.
Carruthers’s invention helped scientists see how air pollution forms. This allowed them to develop new ways to control air pollution. The camera also found hydrogen in deep space, which led to new ideas about the birth of stars in the universe.
MICHAEL CROSLIN
A native of the Virgin Islands, Michael Croslin has held more than 40 patents for medical inventions. His inventions include a computerized, digital blood pressure measurement device; a refractometer (used to measure the index of refrac- tion of a substance) that measures levels of urinary sugar and protein; and a pump that measures and dispenses intravenous medications.
Born in 1933, Croslin was abandoned as a baby and fled to the United States at the age of 12.
He worked odd jobs and eventually ended up in Wisconsin, where he was adopted by the Croslin Family.
Despite his limited educational opportunities, Croslin had graduated from high school by the age of 14. At 17, he had earned his B. S. Degree from the University of Wisconsin.
A later invention, the Medtek 420, adjusts for air pressure and surrounding noise. The Medtek 420 is approved for use in emergency medical evacuation helicopters.
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