Garrett Morgan
During the 1900's, increasing numbers of automobiles began to appear
on the city streets of the United States. These increased numbers resulted in more traffic accidents. Traffic officers were empolyed to controlled traffic in busy traffic intersections, but accidents still incressed. There were many different type of traffic signals created during this time, but not one of them did what Garrett Morgan's first automatic traffic signal acomplished.
Garrett A. Morgan was born in 1877 in Paris, Kentucky.
On November 20, 1923, Garrett Morgan received a patent for his traffic
signal. His invention allowed a traffic officer to automatically control
traffic in all four directions by turning a small hand crank. Morgan's
traffic signal was designed with a red and green light and a bell
to warn traffic that the traffic light was about to change. Morgan's
invention saved the lives of many pedestrians and automobile drivers.
Morgan later sold the patent rights for his automatic traffic signal
to the General Electric Company for $40,000. Although today's traffic
signals look different, we can still see Garrett Morgan's concept
of the traffic signal being used today.
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