Join us for the first installment of our series “The Observer Effect”. In this series, we will explore histories connected to some of the lesser known or under-researched items in the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History's collections.

To kick off this series, we are talking about an often overlooked inventor, businessman, and hero named Garrett Augustus Morgan. Born in the American South in 1877 to formerly enslaved parents, this gentleman would become the first African American in Cleveland to own a car thanks to his brilliant intellect, entrepreneurial spirit, and sheer will power! As the inventor of early prototypes for both the gas mask and the modern stoplight, Garrett Morgan saved countless lives with his dedication to public safety.