Black Inventors Who Don’t Get the Credit They Deserve

Black Inventors Who Don’t Get the Credit They Deserve

Shannon Quinn - February 15, 2023

Black Inventors Who Don’t Get the Credit They Deserve
Because of Lonnie Johnson, kids everywhere have Super Soakers. Credit: CNN

Engineer Lonnie G. Johnson Invented the Super Soaker

Lonnie G. Johnson is an American inventor and engineer who was born in Alabama in 1949. His invention of the Super Soaker, a high-powered water gun, has made him famous worldwide. Johnson has worked as an engineer and inventor for several government and private organizations, including the U.S. Air Force, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Energy Research Corporation. In addition to the Super Soaker, Johnson has also patented several other inventions in the fields of energy and thermodynamics. He created a high-efficiency heat pump and a high-efficiency water heater. Numerous awards and honors have recognized Lonnie Johnson’s contributions to science and technology. Because of him, your kids will get each other soaking wet every summer.

Advertisement