When You Just "Can't"...
Will Black
CEO at Sharing The Credit l Payment Specialist l Philanthropist l Charitable Funding Strategist l International Best-Selling Author
Do you know Thomas Jennings? No, probably not, but you know his work. Dry cleaning has several milestones in its creation. I mean we can actually go back to the BC era, literally before the birth of Christ and see the use of Diatamaceous Earth to clean clothes. Most people that use that are cleaning their pools or have bed bugs. If it's the latter, I'm sorry.
Still, Thomas Jennings was a black man and business owner in New York. As a tailor he was looking for a way to safeky clean clothes. After experimenting a bit he came up with the chmical process of 'dry scouring'. It worked. He would even get a patent on it, wait for it: in 1821.
1821.
The Civil War would not start until 1861, and President Lincoln would not issue the Emacipation Proclamation until 1863. Thomas Jennings though was a free man, born and raised in the US. He applied for a patent for his dry couring treatment, but due to the Patent Act he would have to take an oath that he was in fcat a US citizen. He was. He took the oath and was awarded his patent in 1821.
He fought for Abolition before and after his patent, and would become quite successful due to it and his prolific work. He bought his wife out of indentured servitude and many family members out of out right slavery. He walked the walk. Not only was he smart, motivated, and a true entrpreneur, but he was the first black man to ever be awarded a patent in the US.
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This man had the deck, the whole deck stacked against him. He overcame it. While we sit drinking coffee in airconditioning while scouring the internet wondering why we can't, the truth says that inspirations like Thomas Jennings prove other wise. The worst day was yesterday.
Go do.
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Doing Good Is Good Business
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6 个月Heartfelt thanks, Sir , for this amazing historical triumph of good over evil. And to think that the drycleaning concept is invented by such a person who used to be trodden upon once upon in time. Jennings spirit of hope which motivated him to help his people is also very touching. Finally the fact that divinity will always come to rescue of humanity in times of opression on basis of caste, colour or culture, language or religion and bless it with a reformer like Abe Lincoln, creates a unmatched feeling of redemption for all future generations.
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6 个月Thanks sir for providing this information... ??????
Thanks for this amazing story! I cannot imagine the hostility he must have faced 24/7.