To celebrate Black History Month, we're sharing the stories of people who have left a lasting legacy on Cuyahoga County. Learn about these trailblazers and their impact through the years
Garrett Morgan: Inventor, Creator of the Stoplight Prototype
Garrett Morgan (1877-1963), one of the county’s most successful inventors, created the gas mask and the three-position traffic signal. And he developed them here in Cleveland.
Sara Lucy Bagby Johnson: The Last Slave Prosecuted Under the Fugitive Slave ActAfter the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 ... Johnson walked to Athens, Ohio and later to Pittsburgh where she married George Johnson, who had been a soldier in the Union Army. They relocated back to Cleveland, where Johnson worked as a cook and house servant.
Jane Edna Hunter: A Lifelong Advocate for Women
The namesake of our Health and Human Services building, Jane Edna Hunter (1882-1971), devoted her life to improving the conditions of Black women and is featured in a painting and statue in the building.
George Peake: The First Black Settler in Cuyahoga County
Peake came into recognition for the creation of an improved hand mill that saved on labor costs and enhanced the quality of ground meal.
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