
Garrett Augustus Morgan, born on March 4, 1877, in Paris, Kentucky, was an American inventor, businessman, and community leader. Morgan was the seventh child of eleven and spent his early childhood attending school and working on his family's farm. At the age of 14, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in search of work, where he spent his teenage years working as a handyman. While the exact hospital of his birth remains unknown, his birthplace of Paris, Kentucky, was an almost exclusively African American community, and his parents, Sydney and Elizabeth Reed Morgan, were freed slaves. Morgan would go on to become a prolific inventor, creating early versions of the traffic light and gas mask, and co-founding one of the earliest interracial marriages in Cleveland with his wife, Mary Anna Hasek.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Garrett Augustus Morgan |
| Birth Date | March 4, 1877 |
| Birthplace | Paris, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Parents | Sydney Morgan and Elizabeth/Eliza (née Reed) Morgan |
| Siblings | 6 older siblings, 4 younger siblings |
| Education | Branch Elementary School in Claysville, Kentucky |
| Spouses | Madge Nelson (1896-1898), Mary Hasek/Anna (1908-1963) |
| Children | John, Garrett Jr., and Cosmo |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn

Garrett Morgan was born in Paris, Kentucky, in 1877
Garrett Augustus Morgan was born on March 4, 1877, in Paris, Kentucky, in the United States. He was the seventh of eleven children. His parents, Sydney and Elizabeth Reed Morgan, were freed slaves of Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan, who led Morgan's Raiders in the Civil War. Elizabeth was of Native American, Black, and White descent, and her father, Rev. Garrett Reed, was a Baptist minister.
Morgan received a sixth-grade education at Branch Elementary School in Claysville, Kentucky. At age 14, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in search of work. He spent most of his teenage years working as a handyman for a landowner. Although his formal education ended in elementary school, Morgan continued to educate himself, hiring a tutor to teach him English grammar while living in Cincinnati.
Morgan was an American inventor, businessman, and community leader. He was a prolific inventor, entrepreneur, and activist known for his safety innovations in the early 20th century. He invented an early version of the traffic light and improved upon the design of the gas mask. Morgan also invented a "safety hood smoke protection device" after witnessing firefighters struggle with suffocating smoke. This invention was used in a 1916 tunnel construction disaster rescue, saving countless lives.
In addition to his inventions, Morgan was interested in helping his fellow African Americans. He started a newspaper to discuss issues relevant to the African American community and was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He also married Mary Anna Hasek in 1908, in one of the earliest interracial marriages in Cleveland.
Kim Jong Un's Health: Hospitalization Rumors Explored
You may want to see also
Explore related products

His parents were formerly enslaved people
Garrett Augustus Morgan was born on March 4, 1877, in Paris, Kentucky. He was the seventh child of eleven. His parents, Sydney Morgan and Elizabeth Reed, were formerly enslaved people. Sydney was a formerly enslaved man, freed in 1863, and the son of Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan, who led Morgan's Raiders in the Civil War. Elizabeth was of Native American, Black, and white descent, and her father, Rev. Garrett Reed, was a Baptist minister.
Garrett Morgan's parents were freed before his birth, and the family lived in Paris, Kentucky, an almost exclusively African American community. Morgan received a sixth-grade education at Branch Elementary School in Claysville, Kentucky. At age 14, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in search of work. He spent most of his teenage years working as a handyman for a Cincinnati landowner. Despite leaving school early, Morgan continued his education by hiring a tutor while living in Cincinnati and studying English grammar.
Morgan's early life was marked by hardship and the legacy of slavery, but he went on to become a prolific inventor, entrepreneur, and community leader. He is best known for his inventions, including early versions of the traffic light and gas mask. Morgan's inventions were born out of tragedy, as he sought to improve safety measures in response to disasters such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, where 146 garment workers lost their lives due to the lack of proper safety equipment.
In addition to his inventions, Morgan was also interested in helping his fellow African Americans. He started a newspaper to discuss issues relevant to the African American community and was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Morgan also blazed a trail for Black inventors, demonstrating that racial minorities could make significant contributions to science and technology.
Healing Stomach Ulcers: Hospital Treatment Options
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Morgan was the seventh of eleven children
Garret Morgan, born in 1877, was the seventh of eleven children. His parents, Sydney and Elizabeth Reed Morgan, were freed slaves. Elizabeth was of Native American, Black, and White descent, and her father, Rev. Garrett Reed, was a Baptist minister. Sydney was the son of Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan, who led Morgan's Raiders in the Civil War.
Growing up in an almost exclusively African-American community in Paris, Kentucky, Morgan received a sixth-grade education at Branch Elementary School in Claysville, Kentucky. He spent his early childhood attending school and working on the family farm with his siblings. At the age of 14, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in search of work. There, he continued his education, hiring a tutor to teach him English grammar.
Morgan left home in his teens and eventually settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where he found work repairing sewing machines. This sparked his interest in machines and led him to become a sewing machine mechanic. He also worked as a handyman during his teenage years.
Morgan was a prolific inventor, entrepreneur, and community leader. He is known for his safety innovations, particularly the early gas mask, or "safety hood smoke protection device," and an early traffic signal. He also invented a hair-straightening product and improved sewing machine design. Morgan's inventions saved countless lives and blazed a trail for Black inventors. He was also interested in helping his fellow African Americans, starting a newspaper to discuss issues relevant to the community and becoming a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Newborn Nursing: How Often Should You Feed in Hospital?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$11.11 $14.99

He received a sixth-grade education at Branch Elementary School in Claysville, Kentucky
Garrett Augustus Morgan was born on March 4, 1877, in Paris, Kentucky, in an almost exclusively African American community. His parents, Sydney and Elizabeth Reed Morgan, were freed slaves of Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan, who led Morgan's Raiders in the Civil War.
Morgan was the seventh of eleven children. He received a sixth-grade education at Branch Elementary School in Claysville, Kentucky. At the age of 14, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in search of work. Morgan spent most of his teenage years working as a handyman for a Cincinnati landowner. Despite his limited formal education, Morgan continued to pursue knowledge. He hired a tutor while living in Cincinnati and continued his studies in English grammar. This commitment to learning laid the foundation for his future success as an inventor, businessman, and community leader.
Morgan's career began as a sewing machine mechanic, and he soon started inventing and patenting his own designs, including an improved sewing machine and a hair-straightening product. However, he is most renowned for his groundbreaking inventions in safety equipment. In 1914, he patented the "Morgan safety hood and smoke protector," which was later used in a 1916 tunnel construction disaster rescue. This invention was a precursor to the modern gas mask and saved countless lives.
Morgan also made significant contributions to traffic safety with his three-way traffic light, patented in 1923. He later sold the rights to General Electric for $40,000, which is equivalent to about $610,000 today. Morgan's inventions and innovations continue to impact our daily lives, leaving a lasting legacy.
Ayushman Card: Apollo Hospital Eligibility and Benefits
You may want to see also
Explore related products

At 14, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in search of work
Garrett Augustus Morgan was born on March 4, 1877, in Paris, Kentucky, in an almost exclusively African-American community. His parents, Sydney and Elizabeth Reed Morgan, were freed slaves. Morgan was the seventh of eleven children. He received a sixth-grade education at Branch Elementary School in Claysville, Kentucky.
Morgan's career as an inventor began with improving the design of the sewing machine. He also invented a hair-straightening product and other hair-care items. However, he is most well-known for his inventions of a type of three-way traffic light in 1923 and a protective 'smoke hood', which was a forerunner of the modern gas mask. The smoke hood was invented after Morgan witnessed firefighters struggling with suffocating smoke and was used in a 1916 tunnel construction disaster rescue.
Morgan was also an entrepreneur, community leader, and activist. He was interested in helping his fellow African Americans and started a newspaper to discuss issues relevant to the community. He was also a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Madonna's Hospitalization: What We Know So Far
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Garrett Morgan was born in Paris, Kentucky, US.
He was born on March 4, 1877.
His parents were Sydney Morgan and Elizabeth Reed (also known as Eliza Reed).
His father was half-Black and half-white, and his mother was of Native American, Black, and white descent.
There is no information about the specific hospital that Garrett Morgan was born in. However, it is known that he was born in Paris, Kentucky, and that his parents were freed enslaved people.











































![Vakly Extra Large Super-Absorbent Contoured Hospital Style Pad Liners [Pack of 40] 7" Wide X 14" Long - Maternity Pads for Heavier Post Birth Protection - Incontinence Liners 7x14 inches](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71tRex25D8L._AC_UL320_.jpg)