BKFK - African American Inventors - James West

James West

Microphone

James West is one of the most famous African American inventors alive today but once upon a time, he was a kid, just like you.
"If I had a screwdriver and a pair of pliers, anything that could be opened was in danger, I had this need to know what was inside." he once said about the boundless curiosity of his youth.
He invented the most commonly used microphone on earth! In 1962, Mr. West invented a new kind of microphone.
Most modern microphones come from West's microphones. Without them, we wouldn't have items like telephones, camcorders, and tape recorders.
In fact, he holds 47 U.S. Patents and more than 200 international patents for his work.
Want to learn more? Read a special interview with James West in our Teacher's Section!