Gertrude Hadley Jeannette 
Garrett Morgan
Gertrude Hadley Jeannette was the first female taxi driver to receive a license in New york City in 1935. Driving the cab provided her enough income to enroll in a speech class at the American Negro Theater alongside Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, and Ossie Davis. She was an award-winning actor, stage director, and playwright. Read More
Garett Morgan invented the traffic light : after witnessing a car and buggy crash, Morgan was inspired to create a traffic light that had three signals: “stop,” “go,” and “stop in all directions,” to allow pedestrians to safely cross the street. It also had a warning light – now today’s yellow light – to warn drivers they would soon have to stop. His traffic light was patented in 1923 and sold to General electric. Read More – Why are we calling this a Barnes’ dance if it was invented by Garrett Morgan?