Phillip Downing
By
John C Abercrombie
Phillip Bell Downing is an inventor of a device that many of us use frequently and has remained largely unchanged from its original form. That device is the mailbox that is a frequently seen in our cities and towns all around the country. It has 4 legs and because of its unique design features has made significant changes in our entire mail system.
Born in Providence, Rhode Island March 22, 1857. The formal name of the state is ‘the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.’ There’s a move now to change that to remove the Providence Plantations because of the link to slavery. Other than that, it does change the fact that it is now possible to write the name of the state without crossing state lines. OK, its only a joke but …
Downing was born into a prominent and well known family. Phillip’s father George T Downing was a well known abolitionist and business owner. His mother Serena L deGrasse’s family goes back to the mid 1600’s in New York, New York. His father’s family was born to emancipated parents in Virginia. He had owned Downing’s Oyster house in the financial district of Manhattan in 1825. It was one of the city’s best known dining spots. Thomas also was an important part of the founding of the United Anti-Slavery Society of New York in the mid 1830’s.
Phillip Downing spent a portion of his early years in Washington, DC as his father was manager of the United States House of Representatives’ dining room. They moved to Boston in 1880. After moving he married Evangeline Howard and they had 2 children, Antonia and Phillip Jr.
With an inventive mind, his first patent was for an improvement in streetcar and train switches which allowed the switch to be opened or closed by the brakeman from the platform of the car. This patent ultimately led to the light switch we know today.
October 27, 1891 Downing was granted a patent that change the mail system forever. That patent was for a Street Letter Box, essentially the box we see all around the country where you can post a letter anytime of day. Close and convenient. It changed the need to go to the post office in order to mail a letter. It included a feature that kept bad weather such as rain and snow from damaging the mail and also a safety feature making the mail secure until it is picked up by postal employees.
There is some thought that he also owns the patent to the letter box commonly used for rural boxes.
Prolific minds continue to produce and 25 years later Downing received a patent for an envelope moistener which was a roller and small water reservoir to quickly moisten envelopes and stamps. These are no longer needed as we have self-adhesive stamps and envelopes.
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African American Inventor | Philip B Downing – Mailbox (Part 1)
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Toys and Games
Inventing is a matter of solving the answer to a problem. It requires an agile mind. Sharpen your skills with toys and games. Exercise your powerful brain using our Amazon affiliate link below
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We Made That! Notable Black Inventors A-Z
The first installment in the “Notable Blacks” book series, We Made That! Notable Black Inventors A – Z, spotlights over fifty gifted innovators who shaped not only Black history, but world history. From super computers to the atomic bomb, dustpans to street sweepers, Blacks have played important roles in scientific, medical, industrial and creative progress. We Made That! is another scratch at the itch of Black History.
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African American Inventor | Philip B Downing – Mailbox (Part 2)
African American inventor, Philip Bell Downing was born in Newport on March 22, 1857. Philip grew up in a well-known family the Downing. His father, George Thomas Downing was a hotel owner and had a catering service in New York and his mother Serena Leonora deGrasse had ancestry in New York dating back to 1600. His father was also involved in the underground railroad which could have been the inspiration for his first invention the “Street Railway Switch.” He received the patent in 1890, the invention was a switch tongue operated from the inside of trains to direct it before his invention the engineer had to get off the train and shift the lever on the track to change directions. He has a total of 7 known patents. In 1891, he received the patent for the “street letter-box”, and the “letter-box”; those are what we call mailboxes today. He died on June 8, 1934.
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Black People Invented Everything:
The Deep History of Indigenous Creativity Who invented the traffic light? What about transportation itself? Farming? Art? Modern chemistry? Who made cats? What if I told you there was ONE answer to all of these questions? That one answer? BLACK PEOPLE! Seriously. And this book is like a mini-encyclopedia, full of more evidence than WikiLeaks and just as eye-opening! Do you know just how much Black inventors and creators have given to modern society? Within the past 200 years, Black Americans have drawn on a timeless well of inner genius to innovate and engineer the design of the world we live in today. But what of all the Black history before then? Before white people invented the Patent Office, Black folks were the original creators and builders, developing ingenious ways to manage the world’s changes over millions of years, everywhere you can imagine, from Azerbaijan to Zagazig! With wit and wisdom (and tons of pictures!) this book digs deeper than the whitewashed history we learn in schoolbooks and explores how our African ancestors established the foundation of modern society! Have you inherited this genius? What can you do with it? Inspired by solutions from the past, we can develop strategies for a successful future!
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Black History Month Series: Philip Downing
Philip Downing is an inventor who lived during the late 19th century. His biggest invention is when he designed and patented the letter box also known as the mailbox. Philip Downing also invented a switch system for railroads to help guide trains to the tracks. Without Philip Downing’s invention of the mailbox, our lives would be inconvenienced when it comes to delivering and sending mail via the post office. If you like my videos, please share and subscribe to the 411 Talk Zone Radio Show Channel on YouTube. Tune into the 411 Talk Zone Radio every Monday from 6 pm to 8 pm on blog talk radio. Guest call in number is 215-383-5785.
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1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History
Distinguished historian and National Book Award winner Jeffrey C. Steward illuminates the famous and the obscure, people like Estevanico, the first African explorer in America, and Sojourner Truth, one of the few Black women to participate in both the abolitionist and women’s rights movements. He tells us how the former slave Peter Salem dispatched the hated British major at the battle of Bunker Hill, and how Colin Powell earned his medals in Vietnam. And he reminds us of the artistic contributions of filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, dancer Katherine Dunham, and actor Ira Aldridge.
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Tehari’s Speech on Philip Downing
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We see in Phillip Downing a great problem solving mind. We also see the value of a good education, but we keep in mind that all education does not come from school alone. It requires an ability to make knowledge relatable to the situation to solve problems. Downing saw a need for convenience in the mailing of letters and set out to solve the problem. He was able to recognize that the open boxes did not offer the shelter from the weather and security of a locked box. Thus, he solved these problems with a solution that has remained effective for 100 years. There is nothing that prevents you from doing the same.