Lonnie Johnson
Born: Marietta, Georgia Oct. 6, 1949
Invention: Super Soaker Water Gun
The super soaker was a water gun that had a large reservoir that you could fill with lots of water – which gave kids endless amounts of fun.
Lonnie Johnson (born October 6, 1949) is best known as the inventor of the Super Soaker water gun. The top selling toy in the United States in 1991 and 1992, over 40 million Super Soakers have generated over $200 million in sales since 1990. Today, many websites are devoted to them.
Johnson is president and founder of Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc., a technology development company, and its spin – off companies, Excellatron Solid State, LLC; Johnson Electro-Mechanical Systems, LLC; and Johnson Real Estate Investments, LLC.
Articles on Lonnie Johnson have appeared in numerous publications including Time Magazine, the New York Times, and Inventor’s Digest. Johnson serves on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Alliance for Children, an organization which serves as an informed and influential voice to protect the rights and interests of Georgia’s less fortunate children. He is a Board member of the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Commonwealth National Bank.
In his hometown of Marietta, Georgia, February 25, 1994 was declared “Lonnie G. Johnson Day” in his honor.
Earl Lucas
Born: Dallas, Texas 1970 –
Invention: Designer
Earl Lucas is a designer for Ford Motor Company
Earl Lucas (1970- ), was born in Dallas, Texas. He went to Booker T. Washington High School and was in the arts program. Initially, he was interested in the 3-D process of making jewelry with metal at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. Two years into the program, he switched from a crafts major to industrial design. However, he liked the field of transportation. In college, he and some of his classmates designed a van to transport elderly riders. That job led to a job designing car seats, panels for doors, and headliners for an auto supplier. Then he really got a dream job in Texas designing planes owned by the wealthy Sultan of Brunei. In the sultan’s planes, he used real gold, platinum, and all kinds of precious jewels. As a design manager for Ford, Lucas works with three or four car designers. Black Enterprise magazine notes that he is one of 25 to 30 African-American car designers in the world.
