Voting Station

Garrett Augustus Morgan

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Inventor

The Resume

    (March 4, 1877-August 27, 1963)
    Lived in Cleveland
    Owned a business for repairing sewing machines
    Established the newspaper, 'The Cleveland Call'
    Invented the first patented traffic light (November 23, 1923)
    Invented the first chemical straightener for human hair
    Owned a successful sewing equipment and repair shop (1907)
    Owned a grooming products company
    Invented a gas mask that was used by firemen and the United States Army (WW I)

Why he might be annoying:

    He dropped out of the fifth grade at fourteen.
    Previous to his traffic light invention, a gas lantern had already been invented with the same purpose.
    He was inspired to work on the invention after witnessing a car drive into a horse at an intersection.
    His traffic light didn't have a 'yield' signal, like today's amber light.
    For $40,000, he sold his invention to General Electric.

Why he might not be annoying:

    His parents were former slaves.
    His traffic light had an all-directional stop signal, so that pedestrians can cross the streets without getting struck by a vehicle (or horse).
    He worked on the family farm when he was a child.
    After leaving school, he continued to study English grammar with a tutor.
    He was a well respected technician and was offered plenty of jobs in Cleveland.
    The United States government honored him with a citation for his work on the traffic light.
    He patented a gas mask and used it to rescue several tunnel workers who were trapped in an explosion under Lake Erie.

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 21 Votes: 52.38% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 19 Votes: 47.37% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 26 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 20 Votes: 45.00% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 35.29% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 25 Votes: 56.00% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 23 Votes: 30.43% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 20 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 64 Votes: 51.56% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 133 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 237 Votes: 44.30% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 376 Votes: 41.76% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 531 Votes: 42.56% Annoying