Photos: African-American Inventors

Many of us couldn't live without their inventions.

We Made That. - From the curling iron to the dustpan, to those crunchy potato chips, Black inventors have changed the way we live. In the following pages, BET.com pays tribute to the very people whose inventions progressed society.  — Danielle Wright
Madam C.J. Walker - A black haircare and cosmetics industry trailblazer, Madam C.J. Walker was the first African-American female millionaire. "I got my start by giving myself a start," the daughter of former slaves who was born on a Louisiana plantation often said. She revolutionized beauty with the invention of Madam Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower, a scalp-moisturizing and healing formula that combatted hair loss.(Photo: A'Lelia Bundles/Madam Walker Family Archives/madamcjwalker.com) 
Dr. Daniel H. Williams - An ambassador for African-American patients and physicians, Dr. Daniel H. Williams transformed the field of medicine over the span of his exalted career. He founded Provident Hospital in 1891 and performed the first open heart surgery in 1893. Williams annihilated racial barriers, expanding medical education and employment opportunities for Blacks.(Photo: Public Domain ca. 1900)Dr. Patricia E. Bath - A global ambassador for blindness prevention and treatment, Dr. Patricia E. Bath invented a device called Laserphaco and a technique called keratoprosthesis, collectively used to restore vision in patients experiencing blindness — some for more than 30 years. Community Ophthalmology, a service that offers principal care to underserved neighborhoods, is also the brainchild of Bath. She was the first African-American resident in ophthalmology at NYU, from 1970 to 1973.(Courtesty of Dr. Patricia E. Bath)

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We Made That. - From the curling iron to the dustpan, to those crunchy potato chips, Black inventors have changed the way we live. In the following pages, BET.com pays tribute to the very people whose inventions progressed society.  — Danielle Wright

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