Reader Mail: Thanks for the Submissions

Thanks goes to all the inventors who have submitted their patent numbers and biographies to the African American Inventors Patent Holders Database. Bear with me as I add your names - if you don't see your name listed yet, I am working on it. The following inventors are our most recent entries:

• Patrick Marshall who invented a tracheotomy tube water blocking system called the Star Trach.
• Marc Auguste who invented a coin and token organizing, holding and dispensing apparatus called PortSouT

A Question About the Database
Ellen asked, "Prior to emancipation, inventions by African Americans were often patented by slave owners, do you have any plans to include these in your listings?" Ellen, I will list any inventors that I have missed in the African American database. Under the United States patent laws of 1793 and 1836, both slaves and freedman could patent their inventions. But you are correct there were patents issued without the true inventors names on them. I do not have the resources single-handed to do the historical research necessary to find out which patents from the past have the incorrect inventor listed. However, I would be glad to include the findings of any historian. See Also - Background of Database & Thomas Jennings