It seems that revisionism is in place as Joe Biden suggested some changes in the narrative of how the lightbulb came to be. He suggests that a black man should be credited for it despite the genius of Thomas Edison
One of Biden's statement's past the mark way too far because of the insulation about the origin of the electric light bulb. To make things more succinct, he was way off.
He is insisting that his facts are correct that it is a black man, Lewis Latimer. Both were inventors at the same time, reported Politifact.
One thing is clear that he made a big error by saying Latimer should have been the one getting overall credit, not Edison, who worked out a cost-effective version of the filament used in a bulb.
Another thing is that Edison works on a prior concept to make his bulb work. Latimer like Edison built up innovation from prior work.
The invention is possible through ideas of others, but through Edison's innovation, which was later used as a template for his own better version of it. Biden missed the point by a hundred yards.
The correct assumption is through Edison we got electric light. Latimer's filament improved it further.
Who is Lewis Latimer and are Biden's assumptions correct?
He was active as an inventor during the period of Edison and Alexander Graham Bell (inventor of the Telephone).
A spokesman said Biden was referencing Lewis Latimer, a prolific inventor who worked with both Edison and Alexander Graham Bell (credited with inventing the telephone).
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In this time Latimer played a big part in the installation of electric light and a premiere part of Edison's Pioneers. They did research about the topic of electric lighting in 1890, his bio mentions that he was supervising the installation of electric lighting in New York, London, Philadelphia, other cities as well. This was reported in a 1988 New York Times story.
One of his achievements is the creation of a filament that would have a longer service life than Edison, et.al. This newly developed filament made the installation of more lights possible, in September of 1881 he got a patent for the application.
FACT: Edison got an electric lamp patent in January 1880. He was 18 months late compared to the patent in 1880.
The buildup before deciding on Biden's claim.The Democrats point in mentioning Latimer is to reference a point of the black history, that has not been given the importance of late.
Biden wants to highlight and cancel what has been acknowledged by fact.
His statement is considered racist and incorrect with the Democrat narrative, hoping for cancellation and alteration.
No doubt Latimer's work assures electrification, but Edison's work made it applicable for commercial use before Latimer. Both worked on the improvement of the light bulb.
Edison's patent had built on other research to come up with a first workable light bulb. Edison to Latimer is a progression of the invention and collaboration, not just Latimer as Biden wants.
Biden's claim is not true and Latimer is not the sole inventor.
