Lewis Howard Latimer, American inventor (d. 1928)
Lewis Howard Latimer (September 4, 1848 – December 11, 1928) was an inventor and patent draftsman. His inventions included an evaporative air conditioner, a light bulb with a fiber filament made of carbon and an improved toilet system for railroad cars. In 1884, he joined the Edison Electric Light Company where he worked as a draftsman and wrote the first book on electric lighting. His house is located near the Latimer Projects and is a historic house located at 34-41 137th Street in Flushing, Queens, New York City.