Black History

The Inventive Genius of William B. Purvis: Transforming Industries and Daily Life

While the pages of history often spotlight well-known inventors, there are unsung heroes whose contributions have profoundly impacted our world. One such person is William B. Purvis, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a wealthy and influential family, one of the eight children of Joseph Purvis, a farmer, and Sarah Louisa Forten Purvis, a noted poet.

Published

11 months ago

November 3, 2023

Oakland Post

William B. Purvis was most widely known for his improvements to the fountain pen. Facebook photo.

By Tamara Shiloh

While the pages of history often spotlight well-known inventors, there are unsung heroes whose contributions have profoundly impacted our world.

One such person is William B. Purvis, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a wealthy and influential family, one of the eight children of Joseph Purvis, a farmer, and Sarah Louisa Forten Purvis, a noted poet.

William’s maternal grandfather was African American sailmaker, merchant, philanthropist, inventor, civil rights agitator, and abolitionist James Forten. Born in 1838, William Purvis lived with his family on his father’s farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, until his father’s death in 1857 and the family moved to Philadelphia, where they lived with relatives.

Mostly self-taught, Purvis’ inventive career began in the packaging industry with his groundbreaking improvements to paper bags.

In 1883, he patented an innovative design for a machine that could produce paper bags with flat bottoms, which was a vast improvement over the traditional flat and cumbersome paper sacks.

His invention laid the foundation for the modern shopping bags we use today, with their capacity to stand upright and carry groceries and goods securely.

He was not content with revolutionizing just one industry. In 1890, he patented an innovative modification to the fountain pen, enhancing its functionality and efficiency.

His design addressed the issue of ink leakage, making fountain pens more reliable and convenient for everyday use. The improved fountain pen design made writing a smoother and more enjoyable experience, and it laid the groundwork for subsequent developments in pen technology.

In 1892, Purvis turned his inventive mind toward the world of office equipment. He patented an improved hand stamp that featured a unique ink-distribution mechanism.

This design ensured consistent and uniform ink distribution, preventing blotting and smudging. His hand stamp design found widespread application in businesses, government offices, and postal services, streamlining administrative processes and reducing errors.

Purvis’s creative genius wasn’t confined to everyday items; he also made a significant impact on public transportation.

In 1893, he patented a close-conduit electric railway system, a pioneering technology that transformed urban transportation. This system consisted of electric railways powered through underground conduits, eliminating the need for unsightly overhead wires.

Purvis’ invention made urban transportation more efficient, aesthetically pleasing, and environmentally friendly.

William Purvis never married. He spent his golden years with his sister Annie. He died on Aug. 10, 1914, in Philadelphia.

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Black History

From Louisville to the Olympics: The Legacy of William DeHart Hubbard

William DeHart Hubbard, born on November 25, 1903, in Cincinnati, Ohio, was a trailblazing figure in American sports history. Hubbard grew up in Cincinnati. While attending Walnut Hills High School he excelled in academics and athletics. This earned him a scholarship to the University of Michigan in 1921, where he studied in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. In college, he quickly made a name for himself as an exceptional track and field athlete.

Published

6 days ago

October 1, 2024

Oakland Post

William DeHart Hubbard made history in 1924 when Hubbard made Olympic history by winning the Gold Medal in the long jump. Public Domain.

By Tamara Shiloh

William DeHart Hubbard, born on November 25, 1903, in Cincinnati, Ohio, was a trailblazing figure in American sports history.

Hubbard grew up in Cincinnati. While attending Walnut Hills High School he excelled in academics and athletics. This earned him a scholarship to the University of Michigan in 1921, where he studied in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. In college, he quickly made a name for himself as an exceptional track and field athlete.

Hubbard was the only African American on the school’s track team; he was also the first African American varsity track letterman at the university. In his college career, Hubbard won several meets including being a three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion, eight-time Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) champion, and seven-time Big Ten Conference champion in track and field. His 1925 outdoor long jump of 25 feet 10¹⁄₂ inches stood as the Michigan Wolverines team record until 1980, and it is still second. His 1925 jump of 25 feet 3.5 inches stood as a Big Ten Championships record until Jesse Owens broke it in 1935 with what is now the current record of 26 feet 8.25 inches.

In 1924, he was selected to represent the United States at the Paris Summer Olympics.

Competing against some of the best athletes in the world, Hubbard made history by winning the gold medal in the long jump by jumping 24 feet 5.5 inches. This victory made him the first African American to win an individual gold medal in the history of the modern Olympic Games.

In 1925, Hubbard broke the long jump world record with a leap of 25 feet 10⁷⁄₈ inches at the NCAA championships. In 1927, he bettered that with a jump of 26 feet 2.25 inches — which would have been the first ever over 26 feet — but meet officials disallowed it, claiming that the take-off board was an inch higher than the surface of the landing pit. He also competed in the hurdles at the 1926 AAU championships. He graduated with honors in 1927.

He specialized in the long jump, a sport that would soon bring him international fame.

Hubbard’s Olympic success was not just a personal triumph but a milestone for African Americans in sports. His victory challenged the prevailing stereotypes of the time and inspired a generation of Black athletes to pursue their dreams in the face of adversity.

After his Olympic success, he continued to excel in track and field. He set an additional world record in 1925 with a jump of 25 feet 10.75 inches, which stood for several years. His accomplishments were not limited to athletics, as he also became involved in civic and business endeavors after his graduation from the University of Michigan in 1927.

Following his athletic career, Hubbard returned to his hometown of Cincinnati, where he took on various roles serving his community and the progress of African Americans. He worked as a manager for the Department of Colored Work for the Cincinnati Public Recreation Commission and later became a race relations adviser for the Federal Housing Administration.

Hubbard passed away on June 23, 1976. As the first African American to win an individual Gold Medal in the Olympics, he not only paved the way for future generations of athletes but also demonstrated the profound impact that sports can have on societal change.