Shades of Black - Norbert Rillieux

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Norbert Rillieux

Sunday, 21 October 2007

Norbert Rillieux (1800-1894) was born as a free African American. He revolutionised the sugar industry when he invented the multiple-effect evaporator for refining sugar. His father, an engineer and owner of a plantation, quickly realised his son's brilliant mechanical ability and sent him to Paris to study engineering. In Paris he taught and wrote scholarly papers on the steam engine and steam processes that were well received by European scientists. Norbert later returned to the United States to get funding for his new invention which was operated on a Louisiana plantation in 1845. Norbert’s invention was a huge success. He was able to produce finer white sugar and provide a huge reduction in cost and labour. His system was later adopted by factories from Cuba and Mexico and its steam principles found a much broader application in manufacturing industries for condensed milk, soap gelatine and glue products.

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History Trivia

Garret Morgan

Garrett Augustus Morgan (March 4, 1877 - August 27, 1963), was an African-American inventor and businessman. He was the first person to patent a traffic signal. He also developed the gas mask (and many other inventions). Morgan used his gas mask to rescue miners who were trapped underground in a noxious mine. Soon after, Morgan was asked to produce gas masks for the US Army.

Inventors

Norbert Rillieux

Norbert Rillieux (1800-1894) was born as a free African American. He revolutionised the sugar industry when he invented the multiple-effect evaporator...
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Thomas Jennings

Thomas Jennings (1791-1859) was the first African American to receive a Patent. As the owner of a New York dry cleaning store, Jennings patented a pro...
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George Crum

The potato chip was invented in 1853 by George Crum. Crum was a Native American/African American chef at the Moon Lake Lodge resort in Saratoga Spring...
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Henry Boyd

Henry Boyd, a skilled carpenter, was born into slavery in Kentucky in 1802. Young Henry wanted to be a carpenter. He learned early that many Black car...
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