On the 11th day of Black History Month, we honor #GranvilleTWoods—one of the most brilliant inventors in American history.
Born in 1856 in Columbus, Ohio, Granville T. Woods became one of the most prolific African American inventors of the 19th century, earning more than 50 patents for groundbreaking electrical and railway innovations that transformed train communication, braking systems, power delivery, and overall railway safety.
Granville T. Woods was not a shadow of Thomas Edison.
He was the man who beat Edison at his own game—twice.
In 1887, Woods patented the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph, a revolutionary system that used static electricity to allow communication between moving trains and train stations. Dispatchers could now know exactly where trains were at any moment—dramatically reducing collisions. It didn’t just save time.
It saved lives.
Among his most influential inventions:
- Multiplex Telegraph (1887): Enabled communication between moving trains
- Troller System (1888): A grooved wheel collecting electricity from overhead wires
- Third Rail System (1901): Power pickup device for electric transit
- Automatic Safety Cut-Out (1890): Improved electrical circuit safety
- Improved Air Brake System: Enhanced train braking
- Telegraphony (1885): Combined telephone and telegraph on one wire
- Steam Boiler Furnace (1884): His first patented invention
- System of Electrical Control (1902): Improved railway motor control
- Egg Incubator: One of his non-railway patents
Thank you for honoring Granville T. Woods—a true visionary, a pioneer of modern transportation, and a genius who changed the world.
Clean, respectful, and powerful. 🖤
