Lewis Howard Latimer
#97,026 Most Popular
About
Son of escaped slaves who became a master draftsman and inventor.
Before Fame
He enlisted in the Union Navy at age 15 with the help of a forged birth certificate.
Trivia
He helped Alexander Graham Bell make the patent drawings for his telephone.
Family Life
His father was ordered back to his master, but the local community pulled together to buy his freedom.
Associated With
His services were enlisted by the famed machine-gun inventor Hiram Maxim.
