Granville T. Woods contributed to the field of technology by making essential developments toward inventions like the telephone and streetcar. He was an inventor who filed a number of patents for devices like the telegraph, an improved steam boiler furnace, and an improved telephone transmitter. Woods' inspiration likely came from courses he took throughout his younger years, in electricity and engineering; he realized how impactful these technologies would be for the future. A lack of representation in the engineering/inventing fields impacted Woods due to his race. With every position he reached during his work on the British steamship, the Ironsides, he was discriminated against simply for being African American. He was unhappy with his inability to achieve larger, more important roles, and so he eventually established his own machine shop in Cincinnati.
In order to combat racial bias in computing and technology in today's world, companies and individuals alike must access their own biases and work toward equality within the realm of jobs and opportunities for all.
Sources:
https://www.biography.com/inventors/granville-t-woodshttps://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Granville_T._Woods
