Philip Downing
Black Inventors
Who, What, When, Where, Why?
Learn all about the letter box by reading each part below (Chandler/White, 1986).Who?
Philip B. Downing was a black inventor.What?
Philip Downing invented the protective public mailbox (Letter Box).When?
Philip Downing invented the new public mailbox in 1891.Where?
He was in Boston, Massachusetts.Why?
Downing designed the mailbox to protect the mail and to make the mailman's job easier. Old mailboxes of that time were not good at preventing people from stealing letters out of them and protecting letters from rain water blowing in.
Importance of Letter Box in Life:
The mail was one of the most important forms of communication back in 1891. Although the mail still is important today, back then there were no cellular telephones and computers that could instantaneously deliver information. Transportation was slower, costlier, and more difficult to use. The faster the post office could deliver a letter, then the faster people communicated. Therefore, the safety of letters was very important because people conducted business with letters. They sent money and other valuable things in the mail.
Here is a drawing of Downing's public letter box.
Researched by Herman Bright, North Carolina A&T State University.
Drawing by Dr. Vincent Childress.
Photo by Hemera Photo Objects [Clipart CD].
Reference:
Chandler/White Publishing Company, Inc. (1986). A Salute to Black Inventors. Chicago: author. [A series of booklets on black inventors for elementary school.] (312) 280-9451Last Update: 9-26-02