Hidden Heroes 2021 – Week #1 – J’Nai Bridges & Garret Augustus Morgan

Press release from the City of Lakewood:

January 21, 2021

This week’s Hidden Heroes are J’Nai Bridges and Garrett Augustus Morgan. Please share with others and discuss the important role African Americans play in shaping our community and country

LOCAL HERO

J’Nai Bridges

J’Nai Bridges is a mezzo-soprano known for her “rich, dark, exciting sound.” She has performed at premier opera houses across the globe, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Washington National Opera.

She grew up in Lakewood, Wash., and attended Charles Wright Academy. She became interested in singing after taking choir as an elective in high school.

Bridges earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the Manhattan School of Music and a master’s degree in music from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

She has received a number of prestigious artistic and musician awards, including the 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence Award, which recognizes extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians. Visit Bridges’ website for a a full list of awards she has received.Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of Bridges’ engagements in the title role of Carmen at The Metropolitan Opera. However, you can see her sing the Habanera Aria from Carmen on YouTube.

NATIONAL HERO

Garrett Augustus Morgan

Garrett Augustus Morgan was born in 1877 in Paris, Ky., during Reconstruction. He is known as an inventor, businessman and community leader.

While working at a textile factory, he studied the mechanics of the factory’s machinery and started to fix and improve mechanical problems.

Morgan demonstrated entrepreneurial prowess in 1907 when he opened his own repair shop and started a clothing business with his wife. Later, Morgan branched out to cosmetic products, started a newspaper called The Cleveland Call and opened an all-black country club.

In 1914, Morgan patented the safety hood, the predecessor to the gas mask. Morgan’s invention was well received and widely adopted by fire departments and mining crews. In total, more than 500 cities bought Morgan’s safety hood. The U.S. Navy and Army used a redesigned version of the mask during World War I to protect against poisonous gas attacks.

In 1923, Morgan patented a mechanical traffic signal and sold the design to General Electric for $40,000 dollars. Morgan also invented a zigzagging stitching device for manually-operated sewing machines.

Morgan was a member of the newly-created NAACP and supported black colleges through donations. He died in 1963 at the age of 86.

This press release was produced by the City of Lakewood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.