Description: Portrait of African American inventor Granville T. Woods from Volume 18 of "The Cosmopolitan" in 1895. The portrait accompanies an article titled "Electric Motor Regulation" in a section of the magazine called "The Progress of Science." Woods was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1856. He and his brother formed the Woods Railway Telegraph Company in Cincinnati in 1884. Largely self-taught, Woods worked his way up through the railroad industry, and eventually received 35 patents for electrical and mechanical devices between 1884 and 1907. Most of his inventions were for the improvement of the railroad system, including telegraphony, which allowed telegraph stations to send both voice and telegraph messages over a single wire. Woods is often referred to as "the Black Thomas Edison." He died in New York City in 1910. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: 051_C821v18_761_Woods
Subjects: Woods, Granville, 1856-1910; African American inventors--History; Railroads--Communication systems
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Reproduction of a portrait of African American inventor Granville T. Woods. Woods was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1856. He and his brother formed the Woods Railway Telegraph Company in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1884. Woods received 35 patents for electrical and mechanical devices between 1884 and 1907. Most of his inventions were for the improvement of the railroad system, including telegraphony, which allowed telegraph stations to send both voice and telegraph messages over a single wire. Woods is often referred to as "the Black Thomas Edison." He died in New York City in 1910. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL02705
Subjects: African Americans--Ohio; Multicultural Ohio--African American Ohioans; Woods, Granville, 1856-1910; African American inventors--History; Railroads--Communication systems
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Cincinnati (Ohio); Hamilton County (Ohio)
 

Description: Portrait of Lillie Wilborn, niece of Granville T. Woods and mother of John W. Currie, photographed by M.C. Stanton of Springfield, Ohio. Ohio inventor Granville Woods was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1856. He and his brother formed the Woods Railway Telegraph Company in Cincinnati in 1884. Largely self-taught, Woods worked his way up through the railroad industry, and eventually received 35 patents for electrical and mechanical devices between 1884 and 1907. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: VFM2716AV_01
Subjects: Women -- Ohio; African American Ohioans; Woods, Granville, 1856-1910; African American inventors--History;
Places: Springfield (Ohio); Clark County (Ohio)
 

Description: Portrait of Henrietta Woods Wilborn, sister of Granville T. Woods, photographed by Baker's Art Gallery in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio inventor Granville Woods was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1856. He and his brother formed the Woods Railway Telegraph Company in Cincinnati in 1884. Largely self-taught, Woods worked his way up through the railroad industry, and eventually received 35 patents for electrical and mechanical devices between 1884 and 1907. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: VFM2716AV_02
Subjects: Women -- Ohio; African American Ohioans; Woods, Granville, 1856-1910; African American inventors--History;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Portrait of Rachel Woods Madison (1867-1912), sister of Granville T. Woods, photographed by Montrose Studio in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio inventor Granville Woods was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1856. He and his brother formed the Woods Railway Telegraph Company in Cincinnati in 1884. Largely self-taught, Woods worked his way up through the railroad industry, and eventually received 35 patents for electrical and mechanical devices between 1884 and 1907. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: VFM2716AV_03
Subjects: Women -- Ohio; African American Ohioans; Woods, Granville, 1856-1910; African American inventors--History;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of the John P. Parker House, located in Ripley, Ohio, at 300 Front Street. John Parker (1827-1900) was a former slave who lived in the house from around 1853 until his death. He established a successful foundry behind the home, and was one of the few African Americans who received patents for his inventions during the 19th century. Parker was also an active conductor on the Underground Railroad in southern Ohio. The house has been designated a National Historic Landmark. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06718
Subjects: African American Ohioans; African Americans--History; Inventors; Underground Railroad--Ohio; National Register of Historic Places
Places: Ripley (Ohio); Brown County (Ohio)