GRANVILLE WOODS (1856 – 1910) was an inventor who received numerous patents for inventions that contributed to the development of the transportation and communication industries.
Woods, the son of Tailer and Martha Woods, was born April 23, 1856, in Columbus, Ohio. At the age of 10, he went to work with his father in a machine shop that made speed equipment for carriages and repaired equipment and machinery. Woods studied other machine workers in different pieces of equipment and was said to have paid workers to teach him electrical concepts.
Though largely self-taught, he studied electrical and mechanical engineering from 1876 to 1878. After that, he worked on a British steamer and became Chief Engineer. He then became an engineer with D&S Railroads based in Cincinnati around 1880 where he drove a steam locomotive. Unfortunately, despite his high aptitude and valuable education and expertise, Woods was denied opportunities and promotions because of the color of his skin. Out of frustration and a desire to promote his abilities, Woods, along with his brother Lyates, formed the Woods Railway Telegraph company in 1884. The company manufactured and sold telephone, telegraph and electrical equipment.
Woods received his first patent in 1884 for a steam boiler furnace. In 1885, he invented a system called telegraphony, which allowed telegraph lines to carry voice signals. Two years later, he patented the induction telegraph for sending messages to and from moving trains. Other inventions for electric railways included electromechanical and electromagnetic brakes, a wheeled trolley for drawing power for streetcars from an overhead wires and a safety cutout to prevent injury from accidental contact with overhead wires. For a while he manufactured and sold his inventions through the Woods Electric Company, but he later sold his patent rights to the General Electric Company.
In 1890, Woods moved to New York City. In collaboration with Lyates he patented emergency braking systems and devices relating to third-rail power. During his prolific career, Woods received 35 patents for inventions that contributed to the development of the transportation and communication industries. As a black inventor, however, he had difficulty in marketing his inventions and sold them instead to well-financed corporations, such as General Electric and American Bell Telephone.
He suffered a stroke and died January 30, 1910, at Harlem Hospital in New York City, at the age of 53. Despite his great success as an inventor and being considered the “black Thomas Edison”, Woods died in virtual poverty having spent his fortune on legal fees defending his patents.
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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I never even heard of him when I was in school learning about telephones and other inventions. Here I was thinking Alexander Graham Bell was the first one with the idea of “voice lines” Thanks CL…you learn something new everyday.
BLACK HISTORY GOT A LOVE IT!!!
very interesting, I think this is very neat of CL, to keep us educated on our people because we are missing out on alot of our history although were making history now!!! Its good to know this!!
Here I was thinking Alexander Graham Bell was the first one with the idea of “voice lines”
ditto #1
I really apprreciate these CL, i always send them around to my co-workers who also love them so keep em coming.
Great Piece
Dang, it’s said the way that he died. J.Dakar did GE ever acknowledge his inventions.
Wow! What an amazing and sad story. So many things were stolen from black people. I love black history facts! I hope more parents are enlightening their children on these little known black figures. It would be nice to see them writing papers in school on these people. It would be great if concreteloop would compile these into some sort of magazine for black history month. I’d buy it!
…..As GE, AT&T, AMTRAK, and so many other Super corporations continue to make billions of dollars without even lifting a finger to help HIS family , nor the BLACK family…..Billion Dollar Bailout my ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Post!
Another great post CL! Keep up the GREAT work!
Great Post Cl! Loved it and very informative. It is a shame that he died not having any fotune and spent his life trying to build that fortune.
My daughter and I did some research on him a while back after seeing a display in a museum in Harlem. everything he invented was a ahead of his time!
I just don’t think the comparison to Thomas Edison is fair. He was his own man with his own ideas and he exceeded Edison in many ways. This is a more accurate account of Woods.
“His most remarkable invention, however, was the induction telegraph, a system for communicating to and from moving trains. Woods successfully defended lawsuits against his patent—two by Thomas Edison and one by another inventor named Phelps. In the wake of his loss, Edison tried to offer Woods a job and buy his company, but his offer was flatly rejected. Edison upped the ante by offering Woods a partnership in one of his various companies, but Woods preferred to remain independent. ”
Woods’s inventions include:
a device that coupled the function of the telephone and telegraph—purchased by Alexander Graham Bell
an air-brake system—purchased by George Westinghouse
the power system known as “the third rail”—a conductor of electricity set parallel to the subway’s tracks
a thermostatically controlled egg incubator
Woods’ inventions were purchased by large corporations such as General Electric and Westinghouse. He had over 60 patents for his inventions by the time he died in 1910. By then, he was a highly respected inventor with a world-wide reputation.
Granville T. Woods overcame many obstacles related to being an African American genius at a time when most African Americans could not even obtain a basic education. He refused to sell out to the big corporations with their race-based discrimination, and instead he lived his dream. His accomplishments helped move America into the modern world
Thas messed up how it ended, but it’s good to hear about our greatness. Very inspiring.
So this is why a neighborhood is called Granville Station in Milwaukee. Thanks for the info!
J Dakar,
Could you do a piece on how slaves built the white house?
This is why I always ask my nephews what did they learn in school, and if it is bogus, I correct them. The only Blacks children learn about are the same MLK, Rosa Park, etc. Not to take anything away from them, but its a shame how Black history makers are left out of the curriculum.
Our people, society would be so much greater if we only knew, realized, and accepted the fact that we came from greatness.
It is so sad that this man had to die penniless. Amassed a fortune through his inventions, but because he was a black man in a time when that didn’t mean nothing, he had to spend it up trying to defend his own product. What kind of sense does this make. If we had even a fraction of the advantage that white men had in those times we would have taken over the world. They knew that and that’s why we’ve been held back… More power to CL for letting me know what’s up.
It’s messed up that he died poor never really benefiting from his inventions but I bet the Bell family still has money to this day.
It’s something when the racists say, “They can take their asses back to Africa!” But, they never sit back and think about all the history we would be taking with us if ever we were to depart…….This country was solidified by the hands of “OUR” forefathers, while many of theirs just sign on the dotted line of some papers that they felt made them Individuals of a new world. Our history speaks for itself and it is beyond a shame that he could not reap the cash benefit of his great accomplishments
We Thank you, Mr. Woods so very much and We (as a World) will always appreciate your value
Wow, what a brilliant man. Of course, like many, I was always told of the ‘genius’ of Thomas Edison when I was younger. Good to know the REAL truth and the REAL inventor behind many products today. Thanks CL!
love black history
Hey J Dakar I jus wanna say I love these posts so much keep them coming please…
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