What is Lewis Howard Latimer?
{{Infobox person | name = Lewis Howard Latimer | image = Lewis latimer.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Latimer in 1882 | birth_date = {{birth date|1848|9|4}} | birth_place = [[Chelsea, Massachusetts]], U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1928|12|11|1848|9|4}} | death_place = [[Flushing, Queens|New York City, New York]], U.S. | occupation = [[Inventor]] | spouse = Mary Wilson Lewis | parents = George W. Latimer (1818-1896) and Rebecca Smith(1823-1910) | children = Jeanette (Mrs. Gerald F. Norman), Louise }} '''Lewis Howard Latimer''' (September 4, [[1848]] – December 11, 1928) was an [[African Americans|African-American]] [[inventor]] and [[draftsman]]. He was born in [[Massachusetts]] in [[United States|America]]. ==Early life== Latimer's family were slaves in [[Virginia]] when a local minister led them to freedom. When he was 10 Latimer attended Phillips Grammar School. When he was 16 Latimer lied about his age to join the [[U.S. Navy|U.S Navy]]. ==Public life== Latimer started working at Crosby and Gould, a patent law firm. He learned to draw [[diagram]]s. While at the law firm, Latimer invented an improved railroad car bathroom and an early air conditioning unit. Later, Latimer helped [[Alexander Graham Bell]] by drawing diagrams for his patent for the first telephone. Latimer also helped [[Thomas Edison]] with his patent for the [[light bulb]], and invented a better way to make carbon filaments for light bulbs. == Death == Latimer died on December 11, 1928 in Flushing, Queens, New York at the age 80. {{Commons category|Lewis Howard Latimer}} ==References== {{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | title = Lewis Howard Latimer | website = | publisher = Biography.com | date = 2015 | url =http://www.biography.com/people/lewis-howard-latimer-9374422 | format = | doi = | accessdate = May 10, 2015 | archiveurl = | archivedate = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Latimer, Lewis Howard}} [[Category:1848 births]] [[Category:1928 deaths]] [[Category:African-American peopl