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Lewis Latimer — Historical photograph
Historical photograph. National Inventors Hall of Fame portrait; original photographer not identified on the inspected page. Image credit & source

Electrical technology · Technical drawing · Invention

Lewis Latimer

1848–1928

STEMUS

Latimer developed a method for manufacturing more durable carbon filaments for incandescent lamps. A skilled draftsman, he also prepared drawings for Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent application. His career included installing electric-lighting systems and working on patent matters for the Edison Electric Light Company.[1]

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Latimer developed a method for manufacturing more durable carbon filaments for incandescent lamps. A skilled draftsman, he also prepared drawings for Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent application. His career included installing electric-lighting systems and working on patent matters for the Edison Electric Light Company.[1]

Local connection. National-to-local curriculum connection: study lighting in the school and neighborhood. No San Francisco employment or residence is claimed.

Impact reached: Electric-lighting users in the United States, Canada, and England. (Impact describes who was reached; it is not a place of residence.)

Inquiry & making

Inquiry and making prompt

Choose a familiar object. Draw one improvement and explain how you would test whether it works better.

Places

Where Lewis was born, had roots or studied, and worked — distinguished from where their impact reached.

Born
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Roots / education
Massachusetts; New York
Worked
United States; Canada; England
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Mapped places for Lewis Latimer
RelationshipDocumented placeMap pointSources
BirthplaceChelsea, MassachusettsChelsea city, MACensus representative point[1]
Roots / educationMassachusettsNot mapped — Broad state, region, country, or non-geographic identity: no defensible point assigned.
Roots / educationNew YorkNot mapped — Broad state, region, country, or non-geographic identity: no defensible point assigned.
WorkUnited StatesNot mapped — Broad state, region, country, or non-geographic identity: no defensible point assigned.
WorkCanadaNot mapped — Broad state, region, country, or non-geographic identity: no defensible point assigned.
WorkEnglandNot mapped — Broad state, region, country, or non-geographic identity: no defensible point assigned.

Timeline

  1. 1848

    Born — Chelsea, Massachusetts[1]

  2. 1928

    Died[1]

Gallery

Portrait plus 1 source-grounded contextual item. Every image links to its source record.

Lewis Latimer: Historical photograph
Lewis Latimer — portraitHistorical photograph.Credit: National Inventors Hall of Fame portrait; original photographer not identified on the inspected pageLicense / rights: Classroom review: rights not verified.Source recordOriginal-quality file
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References

  1. [1]
    National Inventors Hall of Fame: Lewis Latimer

    Supports: Dates, Chelsea birthplace, carbon-filament process, Bell drawings and international lighting work.

Last reviewed 2026-11-08 · Initial research edition · Record ID lewis-latimer. A curated, source-informed article — not openly editable and not independently scholar-reviewed. Corrections process.