Granville T. Woods: The Brilliant Inventor Who Transformed Transit—Yet Was Overlooked

A Humble Start, A Curious Mind

Granville Tailer Woods was born on April 23, 1856, in Columbus, Ohio, into a free African American family. Though his formal schooling ended early—by age 10—he never stopped learning. He studied at night, worked in machine shops, and trained as a railroad fireman and steamer engineer. His path reminds me of so many young people I’ve met in Chicago who didn’t have every advantage laid out for them but carried an insatiable curiosity and hunger for knowledge. Woods’s story is proof that genius isn’t limited by circumstance—it grows wherever determination and imagination are given a little room to breathe.

Ingenious Creations Across Fields

Woods held more than 60 patents, each aimed at solving real-world problems. From his steam boiler furnace to the telegraphony (a blend of telegraph and telephone) and the “troller” wheel that powered streetcars, his ideas changed how people lived and moved.

His most famous invention, the Induction Telegraph, allowed trains to communicate with stations while moving—drastically improving railway safety. Imagine how many lives were spared because of his brilliance. I think about today’s CTA trains running through Chicago, and it strikes me: every time we step onto a train, we owe part of that safety to Woods’s vision.

Overshadowed and Under-credited

Woods lived in a society that refused to celebrate him fully. To gain respect in business circles, he sometimes even claimed he was born in Australia—a sad but telling commentary on what it meant to be a Black man with great ideas in the 19th century. His story reminds me of conversations I’ve had with elders who worked twice as hard for half the recognition. It’s a pattern we’ve seen in so many Black innovators—brilliance buried under prejudice until history circles back to uncover the truth.

Courtroom Showdowns with Thomas Edison

Perhaps the most striking chapter in his life was the courtroom battle with Thomas Edison. Edison tried to claim credit for Woods’s Induction Telegraph, suing him twice. Woods fought back and won both cases. Can you imagine the courage it took for a Black inventor in the late 1800s to stand toe-to-toe with Edison, “The Wizard of Menlo Park,” and walk away victorious?

The story goes that Edison, impressed—or maybe just trying to control the competition—offered Woods a job. Woods declined. That moment always makes me smile. It’s the kind of quiet confidence we rarely get to see celebrated in our history books: a Black man saying, I will not be your employee. I will stand on my own.

The Cost of Recognition

Still, the victories came at a price. Woods had to sell some of his patents to survive financially. He even faced jail time in 1892 over a libel suit, though he was later acquitted. His death in 1910, in relative obscurity, shows us just how much brilliance can be buried when a society chooses not to honor it.

I think about how many young students today could be inspired if they learned his name alongside Edison and Bell. His story isn’t just about what he invented—it’s about what we lose when we don’t give credit where it’s due.

Legacy Amid Historical Amnesia

Thankfully, history is beginning to correct itself. Woods was finally honored with a headstone in 1975, inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006, and has had streets and even MetroCards named after him. Yet recognition came decades late.

For me, his legacy is personal. Whenever I hear young people in our community say they want to be engineers, designers, or creators but worry that no one will see them, I think of Woods. I tell them, The world may not give you the credit right away, but history has a way of catching up to the truth.

Why His Story Still Matters

Granville T. Woods’s life reminds us that:

• Genius often grows in overlooked places.

• Recognition can be delayed, but it cannot be denied forever.

• Standing firm in the face of giants—like Woods did with Edison—is its own kind of victory.

His story is not just about inventions. It’s about resilience. It’s about daring to imagine the world differently even when the world refuses to imagine you as its equal.