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Henry Blair, the only inventor ever denoted as a \u2018colored man\u2019 in the records of US Patent Office, received a patent for his invention of a mechanical corn planter on 14th October, 1834. For decades, it was believed this was the first example of an African-American inventor receiving a US patent.\nThe truth turns out to be more complex, and is touched by the legacy of slavery, legal reform, and black activism\u2026 but Thomas Jennings, the inventor of \u2018dry scouring\u2019 (an early instance of dry cleaning) registered his patent thirteen years earlier and is, probably, the true holder of the title.\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly look back over some of the most useful inventions contributed by American people of colour; explain why the rules over enslaved people\u2019s intellectual property were so vague and unreliable; and reveal what it looked like when Thomas Jefferson fobs you off\u2026\nContent Warning: racism, negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018Inventor Henry Blair and His Patents\u2019 (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/inventor-henry-blair-1991284\n\u2022 \u2018Whose Patent is It?: American Patent Law Denies Slave Creativity\u2019 (HistoryNet, 2017): https://www.historynet.com/whose-patent-is-it-american-patent-law-denies-slave-creativity/\n\u2022 \u2018Awesome Inventions by African Americans\u2019 (SciShow, 2012): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56AwEjXzh-U\nWe'll be back on Monday - unless you join\xa0\U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS\U0001f334, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!\nPlus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.\nJoin now via\xa0Apple Podcasts\xa0or\xa0Patreon.\xa0Thanks!\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2022.\xa0\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices