The African History Truly African
He was born in 1856 in the United States to African parents. He had little formal education. He learned through practice. He studied engineering while working in rail and electrical jobs.
Woods focused on one problem. Trains crashed because drivers lacked real-time communication. He solved it.
He invented the telegraph system for moving trains. His system allowed trains to send and receive messages while in motion. Dispatchers tracked train positions. Engineers avoided collisions. Rail travel became safer and faster.
He also improved electric railway systems. His inventions supported power delivery, braking, and signaling. Cities expanded rail transport using his designs. Urban transit relied on his work.
Woods held more than 60 patents. Many focused on electricity, telephony, and rail systems. His inventions formed the base of modern mass transit communication.
Major companies tried to claim his ideas. Thomas Edison challenged his patents in court. Woods defended his work. He won. Edison later hired him due to his skill.
Granville T. Woods earned the name Black Edison. His work powered cities, protected lives, and shaped modern transport systems.
His story proves skill and discipline defeat barriers. His inventions still run beneath modern infrastructure today.
