ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Dec. 13, 2022 — Black History Month pays tribute to the accomplishments of Black Americans across generations, honoring the many ways in which their ingenuity, perseverance, and commitment to progress have shaped history.
Likewise, the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) is proud to celebrate its Inductees whose accomplishments have contributed to society in remarkable ways. These inventors have advanced the spirit of innovation in both tangible and intangible ways through their inventions that change lives and inspire others to pursue their dreams.
Among the notable NIHF Inductees to be celebrated this February are: Marian Croak, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology. Engineer Marian Croak has worked on advancing VoIP technologies, converting voice data into digital signals that can be easily transmitted over the internet. Her work has allowed VoIP to become a practical reality by enabling reliability and high quality. Today, VoIP technology is vital for remote work; and conferencing as well as personal communications.
Lonnie Johnson, Super Soaker. Engineer and entrepreneur Lonnie Johnson is the inventor of the Super Soaker, which became a bestselling toy generating well over $1 billion in sales over its lifetime. His current work includes a new generation of rechargeable battery technology; and also the Johnson Thermo-Electrical Converter (JTEC), which efficiently converts waste heat to electrical energy and can be run–in reverse as a cooling device.
Frederick McKinley Jones, Mobile Refrigeration. Frederick McKinley Jones invented the first successful system for mobile refrigeration. His invention eliminated the far less effective use of ice and salt to preserve foods for transport, greatly extending the distance over which food could be successfully delivered.
About the National Inventors Hall of Fame The National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) is the premier nonprofit organization in America dedicated to recognizing inventors and inventions, promoting creativity, and advancing the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Founded in 1973 in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, NIHF is committed to not only honoring the individuals whose inventions have made the world a better place but to ensuring American ingenuity continues to thrive in the hands of coming generations through its national, handson educational programming and collegiate competitions focused on the exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Explore the NIHF Museum digitally in Google Arts & Culture’s “Once Upon a Try” project.
For more information, visit invent.org. To nominate an inventor for Induction, visit invent.org/nominate.
For more information on these and other world-changing NIHF Inductees, visit www.invent.org/NIHF-hallof-fame-inductees-list-alphabetical.
