Angelita Elliott shows an early cell phone at the All African Inventors Exhibit at Casa Loma on Feb. 3.
Photo: Tina Todaro/The Dialog
African contributions paved the way for present and future inventors. Showcased at George Brown College (GBC) this week was the African Expo, a timeline of African inventors who helped create a foundation for current technological advances.
“This is the International All-African Inventors Museum and today we are showcasing our new exhibit called the Space Science and Exploration Exhibit,” said Angelita Elliott, owner and curator. “This exhibit showcases people who are in the Inventors Hall of Fame, The Manhattan Project, NASA pioneers, and pioneers of the computer as well as the video game.”
As one of the largest travelling museums, this exhibit features over 400 inventions and contributions by African men, women and children. Elliott says this is just a small sample of the exhibit, the bigger one featuring more than 30 tables.
Racism has been an ongoing issue, and through this exhibit Elliott has captured the essence of those who faced racism and discrimination in the face of success.
“Some of the inventors that I feature are a little bitter despite their accomplishments, because they felt that racism played a huge part in their accomplishments even though they went on and did great things,” said Elliott. “Some of them felt that they were academically cheated when they went to University.”
Elliott is making students aware of the heritage behind many inventions. Travelling to offices, schools, and even jails, she teaches people about African heritage and history.
Elliott believes that this generation is very into self, and selfies, and she hopes that students ask themselves, “How am I going to contribute to the world? How am I going to make a difference? And how am I going to make an impact?”
As students and youth walk around using all types of technology, they fail to realize the background behind each device, those who were marginalized and discriminated against while creating the basis for future advances.
“I want people to see how these men and women have touched our lives in every way,” said Elliott. “It’s our responsibility to carry on the legacy.”
