Black Inventors Hall of Fame

BIHOF is a 501c3 - Celebrating - Byron Jackson An inventor & entrepreneur

175 N. Main St. Wharton, NJ 07885

(862) 354 5545 | Email : jhoward@bihof.org

Black Inventors
Hall of Fame Museum
and STEM Learning Research Ce

Black Inventors Hall of Fame Museum: Connecting the Dots

Black Inventors Hall of Fame Museum - Explore History and Art

Please plan to visit the Black Inventors Hall of Fame Museum exhibit titled Connecting the Dots. Presently shown at the Historic Speedwell in Morris Plains, NJ. The Historic Speedwell will reopen in April and the exhibit will continue into the month of June.

Plan Your Visit

Historic Speedwell

Hours:

Everyday 10am - 4pm

April through October

Address: 333 Speedwell Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960

Phone: (973) 285-6550

Three Eras Traveling Exhibit and Invention Education Kiosk

The Three Eras of African American Inventor Experience Journey tour continues, now appearing at Princeton Public Library on the campus of Princeton University. Feb 1, 2024 to Feb 23, 2024.

The Three Eras of African American Inventor Experience Journey tour continues, now appearing at Essex Community College in Newark, NJ Jan 11, 2024 - Jan 31, 2024. The exhibit is coming off of a two-week stint at Centenary University in Hackettstown, NJ and next appearing at the Princeton Public Library from Feb 1,2024 - February 23, 2024 to kick off Black History month festivities.

We are pleased to inform you that BIHOF is currently in the process of developing a groundbreaking travel kiosk. The kiosk is a self-learning invention tool that enables the youth of Morristown, NJ, to learn about the process of inventing while also receiving a history lesson on past Black and Latin inventors. This one-of-a-kind self-learning tool is designed to be scalable to underserved communities throughout the region. The project is partially funded by the Kirby Foundation, Hyde/Watson, and Blue Foundry Bank. We are grateful for their contributions and look forward to continuing to work with them to bring this project to fruition.

CO-SYNE INVENTOR

Biography - BIHOF GOLD SPONSOR

I’m Byron Jackson from Tuskegee, AL, the birthplace of the Tuskegee Airmen. I come from a family of Civil Rights activists and military backgrounds, which instilled in me a strong work ethic and progressive beliefs. Growing up in a small town, I developed a close connection with nature, often making my own tools for fishing and hunting. After a life-changing incident at nine that sidelined my sports dreams, I found inspiration in the Olympics and created my own javelin from a tree limb. I dropped out of high school to obtain my GED and continued my education at J.F. Drake T.C. in Huntsville, where I encountered a more diverse society and gained valuable insights into the influence of education. To fund my aspirations, I took odd jobs like cutting hair and working in construction. Ultimately, I saw the struggles of my community, which led me to start a screen printing and embroidery business to help local businesses. After opening three retail stores, I was able to focus on innovation and project management, which is where I am today.

WHAT IS CO-SYNE?

• Co-Syne is a user-friendly application that can be used by law enforcement, first responders, animal rescue, fire rescue, etc.

• The app allows for vehicle-to-vehicle communication through an infotainment display system which allows information to be transmitted via video and audio.

• For example, a law enforcement officer pulls over a vehicle; the law enforcement officer remains inside his/her vehicle, uses the mobile data terminal to perform a background check, confirms registration, and checks for a valid license; the law enforcement officer uses Bluetooth to connect to the citizen’s vehicle’s infotainment display system and communicates to citizen regarding the traffic stop and all request to comply; as the interaction ends, the officer communicates the ticket for the violation through the app or other form of communication determined by the agency.

Our Education Programs

Learn about the educational opportunities available at Black Inventors Hall of Fame, including workshops, lectures, and school programs that are designed to engage and inspire learners of all ages.

Explore Programs

BIHOF and the community

First BIHOF MUSEUM EXHIBIT

BIHOF succeeded with its first public exhibit titled Three Eras of African American Invention Journey experience. The three day exhibit was well received by visitors who had a chance to select a given inventor from the display panel and hear a 90sec narrated story. Sponsored by US Inventors and hosted by USPTO in Alexandria, VA.

Morris COunty STEM Day

First BIHOF MUSEUM EXHIBIT

The BIHOF Team organized a full day event where kids were encouraged to explore their creativity through idea generation and storytelling. The event began with a lesson on the history of Black Inventors, followed by an opportunity for each group to design their own product geared towards addressing climate control issues.

Harlem Week FUndraiser

First BIHOF MUSEUM EXHIBIT

Washington DC Career Day

BIHOF and its team members sponsored the 2022 Harlem Week Festivities. The event was an opportunity for the community to learn about the upcoming BIHOF Museum and key Black inventors from the past and present. Information sharing about the museum and fundraising was also a part of the event.

Washington DC Career Day

READING PA SCHOOL DISTRICT 5th GRade INVENTOR WORKSHOP

Washington DC Career Day

BIHOF offered their services to the STEM NOLA invention camp in Washington DC. Over 300 children participated, and BIHOF's Director James Howard led a workshop on careers in construction and architecture.

Bronx College Entrepreneurship Workshop

READING PA SCHOOL DISTRICT 5th GRade INVENTOR WORKSHOP

James Howard, Director of BIHOF, gave a lecture at Bronx College on careers in entrepreneurship, film production, and patent and product licensing. Afterwards, students participated in a Q&A session on tips for success in entrepreneurship.

READING PA SCHOOL DISTRICT 5th GRade INVENTOR WORKSHOP

BIHOF spent a day conducting two workshops for 5th graders. The workshop included history lessons on Black and Latin inventors and lessons in Invention education including exercises in Design Thinking idea generation sessions.

About The Black Inventors Hall of Fame

Executive director James Howard

As Executive Director of the Black Inventor’s Hall of Fame (BIHOF), I am honored to have the privilege of bringing a broad and detailed awareness of the important work of African American inventors, artists and innovators who have inspired and forged ahead against tremendous odds and adversity.

The story of African American Inventors has a sad history of being lost or simply overlooked. Far too often, historical accounts forget to mention the incredible achievements of Black inventors. This nonprofit was founded to recognize and tell the story of African American greats such as George W. Carver who in 1941 was referred to as “The Black Leonardo” by Time Magazine for his prolific contributions in the field of agriculture. Yet, nearly 80 years later, Carver was all but ignored by Time in its list of top 100 American inventors of all time. It is time that exceptional inventors are immortalized by being inducted into the Black Inventor's Hall of Fame.

Our Goal

Executive director James Howard

Every year we induct extraordinary Black inventors into the Black Inventor's Hall of Fame to permanently recognize their innovative contributions to society. This website serves as a platform telling the story of talented African American innovators. We include and highlight notable advancements and projects from academia, manufacturing and agriculture to advancements in medicine and the sciences. Our goal is to identify entrepreneurial leaders who have invented and produced groundbreaking technological advancements that improve the quality of life around the world.

Partners in This Journey

Executive director James Howard

Partners in This Journey

As we continue to grow our website, we look forward to partnering with you to help develop key programs like the Future Black Innovators Initiative and the Young Innovator's Mentors Alliance. These business models and other programs like them will serve as the building blocks that are necessary to cement our commitment to keeping the story of Black Innovators, past and present, relevant.

BIHOF Executive Director featured on America's Black Forum

A Message from the Director