If you’ve ever sat at a red light wondering why on earth it takes so long to change, you've probably seen a grainy black-and-white photo of a man in a sharp suit. That’s Garrett Morgan. Or maybe you've scrolled past a picture of a guy wearing what looks like a steampunk scuba suit in a dark tunnel. Honestly, the pics of Garrett Morgan that circulate online are often more than just historical records—they are proof of a guy who spent his life outsmarting a system designed to keep him in the shadows.
But here’s the thing. Most people just see the "Traffic Light Guy" and move on. They miss the grit. They miss the fact that for a long time, Morgan had to hire white actors to pose as the "inventor" of his own products just so people would buy them.
The Man Behind the Machine
Look closely at the most famous pics of Garrett Morgan. You'll notice a look of intense, quiet focus. Born in 1877 in Paris, Kentucky, Morgan didn't have a PhD. He didn't even have a high school diploma. He had a sixth-grade education and a mind that saw mechanical problems as personal insults.
When he moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1895, he was just another kid looking for work. He started as a sewing machine adjuster. Think about that for a second. While others were just trying to hit their quotas, Morgan was redesigning the inner workings of the machines to make them faster.
By 1907, he had his own shop. He wasn't just fixing things; he was building an empire.
That Famous Gas Mask Photo (The "Safety Hood")
One of the most striking pics of Garrett Morgan shows him wearing his "Safety Hood." It looks terrifying—like something out of a horror movie. Two long tubes snake down from a canvas mask.
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There's a reason for that design. Morgan realized that during a fire, smoke and heat rise, but fresh air stays near the floor. His mask allowed a person to breathe that cooler, cleaner air from the ground.
In 1916, this invention became more than just a patent. An explosion happened in a tunnel 250 feet beneath Lake Erie. Men were trapped. Rescuers were dying. Morgan and his brother Frank threw on the masks, went into the gas-filled tunnel, and pulled men out.
"I am not a hero," Morgan reportedly said, though the city of Cleveland eventually gave him a gold medal.
The tragedy? Even after saving lives, some fire departments canceled their orders for the mask once they saw pics of Garrett Morgan and realized he was Black. He eventually had to pretend to be a Native American "Big Chief Mason" during demonstrations to sell his own invention.
Why the Traffic Signal Picture is Different
You've likely seen the patent drawing for the "G.A. Morgan Safety System." It’s a T-shaped pole with arms. People often claim Morgan invented the first traffic light.
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That's not quite right.
Traffic lights already existed. But they were basically "Go" and "Stop." There was no warning. No buffer. Morgan saw a carriage smash into a car and realized the world needed a "yellow light" equivalent. His patent added a third position: a total stop for all directions so pedestrians could cross.
He sold that patent to General Electric for $40,000. In 1923, that was a massive fortune.
The Accidental Hair Straightener
Believe it or not, some of the earliest commercial pics of Garrett Morgan weren't for safety gear. They were for hair care.
While trying to find a lubricant for sewing machine needles that wouldn't stain fabric, he wiped some of his chemical mixture on a piece of pony fur. The next morning? The curly fur was bone-straight. He tested it on an Airedale dog, then himself.
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The G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Company was born. It became a staple of his business empire, funding his more "radical" safety inventions.
Sorting Fact from Internet Fiction
When searching for pics of Garrett Morgan, you'll run into a few myths.
- Did he invent the gas mask? He invented a specific, revolutionary "safety hood." It was the precursor to modern gas masks, but specialized filters evolved later.
- Did he invent the first traffic light? No, but he invented the first three-position signal, which is the direct ancestor of the yellow light we use today.
- Was he a billionaire? No. He was a wealthy businessman, especially for a Black man in the early 20th century, but he faced massive systemic hurdles.
How to Use This History Today
If you're a teacher, a history buff, or just someone who likes a good underdog story, looking at pics of Garrett Morgan shouldn't just be a "cool fact" moment.
- Check the sources: Look for images from the Western Reserve Historical Society or the Cleveland Public Library. They hold the real-deal archives.
- Look for the patents: The patent numbers are 1,113,675 (Safety Hood) and 1,475,024 (Traffic Signal). Seeing the technical drawings alongside his portrait gives you a better sense of his genius.
- Visit Cleveland: If you're ever in Ohio, his grave is in Lake View Cemetery. It’s a quiet spot for a man who spent his life making the world a whole lot louder and safer.
Morgan died in 1963, shortly before the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. He was nearly blind from glaucoma, but he was still working on inventions, including a self-extinguishing cigarette. He didn't just leave behind photos; he left a blueprint for how to innovate when the world is rooting for you to fail.
To truly honor Garrett Morgan's legacy, start by looking past the viral social media posts. Dive into the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) digital archives to view his original technical diagrams. You can also research the Cleveland Call and Post, the newspaper he founded, to see how he used his wealth to empower his community. Moving beyond the surface-level photos allows for a deeper understanding of how his mechanical grit fundamentally changed modern public safety.