In the world of black history people, there are many unique personalities. Master organ designer Joseph Dickinson is one of them.

In the late 19th century, Dickinson won numerous awards for his organs, but he didn't stop there. Expanding on his technical knowledge of musical instruments, Dickinson won several patents for the player piano.

His company perfected a system of controlling the volume of mechanical musical instruments, as well as proudly obtaining a number of phonograph patents...which leads us to Thomas Edison.

Thomas Edison didn't invent all of those magical devices he's given credit for by himself. The phonograph? Yes, Edison gets the credit, but he had several bright and energetic understudies who made important contributions to his research and ultimate patents.

Lewis H. Latimer, (1848-1928), invented and patented the first electric light bulb with a carbon filament (1882). He joined the Thomas A. Edison Company in 1886 to become the only black engineer on Edison's staff. Edison later developed the carbon filament into the modern light bulb.