Granville T. Woods

Pioneering African-American inventor who revolutionized railway communications and held over 50 patents

The 'Black Edison' Who Electrified Transportation

Often called the 'Black Edison', Granville Tailer Woods (1856-1910) overcame racial barriers to become one of America's most prolific inventors. His induction telegraph system (Patent #373,915) transformed railway safety by enabling moving trains to communicate with stations and other trains - a breakthrough that prevented countless collisions.

Born to free African-American parents in Ohio, Woods received minimal formal education but displayed extraordinary mechanical aptitude. He developed the 'Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph' in 1887, a system so revolutionary that Thomas Edison unsuccessfully sued to claim its invention. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld Woods' patent rights.

Lasting Industrial Legacy

Woods' innovations extended beyond railroads. His patent portfolio included:

• Electric railway conduits (1888)
• Overhead wire systems for electric trains (1891)
• Automatic air brakes (1902)

Through his company, Woods Electric Co., he commercialized inventions during the Second Industrial Revolution, electrifying urban transportation systems. Despite facing racial discrimination, Woods' work laid technical foundations for modern mass transit and telecommunications.