Comic illustration of Garrett Morgan
Illustrated By Rafael Alvarez
Engineering, Physical Science,

The Incredibly Courageous Inventor

The heart-racing story of a man who changed the way the world fights fires

By Tod Olson | Adapted by Georgia Ball | Illustrated by Rafael Alvarez
From the February 2025 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will summarize how a courageous inventor created and tested a device that helped firefighters stay safe while rescuing people.

Other Focus Areas: Matter, Measurement & Data
Standards
  • NGSS
    Core Idea: PS1.A, ETS1.A, ETS1.B, ETS1.C
  • CCSS
    Reading: RL.5; Writing: W.1, W.2; Speaking and Listening: SL.3; Math: 3.MD.B.3
  • TEKS
    Science: 3.4A, 4.4A, 5.4A, 6.4A; ELA: 3.6F, 4.6F, 5.6F, 6.5F

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For just a moment, imagine you’ve invented something that could save people’s lives. Now it’s time to test it. What could happen if it fails? An inventor named Garrett Morgan found himself in that stressful situation.

Morgan was born in Kentucky in 1877. That was just 12 years after the Civil War ended. His parents had been enslaved. Racism was a horrible fact of life in America. Black people didn’t have the right to vote or hold certain jobs. In sixth grade, Morgan had to quit school so he could work and make money. When he was 22, he moved to Ohio to find greater opportunities.

At first, Morgan swept floors at a clothing factory. Then he taught himself how to fix sewing machines. Morgan even invented a way to help keep them from breaking. Later he started his own clothing shop.

In 1911, Morgan began working on a device that would save countless lives. Five years later, a horrible accident gave Morgan the chance to truly test his device.

July 24, 1916: Eleven men were building a tunnel that would carry water from Lake Erie to Cleveland, Ohio.

At 10 p.m., workers hit a pocket of natural gas. It caused an explosion.

KABOOM!

Smoke and toxic gas filled the tunnel.

COUGH COUGH!

I can't breathe!

Hold on—I'm getting help!

Six rescue teams went down to try to save the workers. But they collapsed after breathing in the deadly smoke and gas.

Now 23 people are down there! What can we do?

I have an idea.

Garrett Morgan speaking.

This is the fire department. We need your help!

Garrett Morgan rushed to the tunnel entrance. He brought along his brother, Frank.

Sorry, I didn’t have time to change.

Never mind that. You’re the man with the safety hood! I saw one of your demonstrations.

Your invention could be the only hope left for the men trapped in the tunnel!

This is the kind of emergency my invention was meant for.

March 1911, 5 years earlier: Fires were a common and deadly problem in the early 1900s. They happened in crowded apartment buildings, factories full of workers, and busy building sites.

Another tragic fire...

Firefighters were often hurt or killed by breathing in smoke. Smoke is created when wood or other materials burn. It’s made up of toxic gases and tiny bits of matter.

COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!

Morgan came up with an idea for a device that could protect firefighters.

Smoke rises. These tubes will let people breathe safer air from near the ground.

Morgan gave demonstrations to show how his hood worked. He would set up a tent full of deadly gas. Then he’d put on the hood and go inside.

Watch me come out as good as new!

At the time, many White people didn’t want to do business with a Black man. This made it very difficult for Morgan to sell his invention to the public.

It’s interesting. But it hasn’t been tested in a real emergency.

On that day in 1916, Morgan put his invention to the test. Wearing the hoods, he and his team took an elevator down into the tunnel. Cleveland’s mayor didn’t expect to see them again.

Goodbye.

It’s so dark in here! I can’t see a thing!

Me neither. We’ll have to feel our way around.

I think this man is alive!

Quick! Let’s get him out!

I hope they’re OK.

It’s been 15 minutes.

Look, someone is coming back up!

They’ve rescued someone!

More volunteers joined in. In the end, Morgan’s efforts saved two people.

Let’s check for more survivors.

Without the hoods, no one would have survived.

Newspapers wrote about the incredible rescue. But they didn’t give Morgan credit.

They don’t even mention your name!

But they will remember my invention.

Morgan was right. Fire departments around the country bought his safety hoods. And Morgan kept finding new ways to solve problems. His inventions helped millions of people.

video (1)
Activities (3)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

1. PREPARE TO READ (10 minutes)
Share observations about and make connections to smoke from fires.

  • Ask students if they’ve ever been near a campfire or a grill. If needed, play a video showing one. Ask: What did you notice about how the smoke moves? (e.g., It rises.) How does it feel if the smoke blows toward you? (e.g., It can make breathing difficult.) If there was a fire in a closed room, what would happen to the smoke? (It would fill the room.) Where do you think the smoke would be thicker: near the ceiling or near the ground? Why? (It would be thicker near the ceiling because smoke rises.) Explain that you are going to read a story about an inventor who used his knowledge of how smoke moves to save lives.

2. READ AND Analyze (20 minutes)
Read the article and order its events chronologically.

  • Read the article aloud or play the dramatic read-aloud version of the story. Then revisit the third panel on page 8. Ask: Why are the illustrations in a different color? (They went back in time to 1911, so it’s showing a flashback.) Why do you think the author decided to tell some of the story out of order? (The context for events in the main story happened five years before.)
  • Have students reread the article, keeping an eye out for the flashback to 1911 and then the shift back to 1916. Then distribute the Order the Main Events activity sheet along with scissors, tape or glue, and a blank piece of paper. Have students complete the activity in pairs. Reconvene to discuss their orders of the events.

3. RESPOND TO READING (30 minutes)
Identify fire safety equipment around the school.

  • Preview the Fire Safety Scavenger Hunt activity. Ask students to share the purpose of each item listed. Make a tally for the fire alarm or another safety feature in your room. Note its location and make other observations. (e.g., It’s red.) Distribute clipboards and take the class on a walk around the school to look for each item. As needed, stop and discuss safety features. Return to the classroom and ask: What was the most common item? Are there any items we didn’t see? If so, what item serves a similar purpose? Discuss which fire safety items people often keep in their homes, and why they have those items.

STEM INTEGRATION

MATH: Analyze a bar graph about fires in the U.S. (CCSS Math: 3.MD.B.3)

Distribute the Bar Graph: U.S. Fires by Type activity. Preview the graph as a class, including the types of fires listed. Then ask: What type of fire was Garrett Morgan most concerned about when he invented his safety hood? (Buildings & Structures) Remind students that most buildings today have multiple fire safety devices to help keep people safe, and that many of these reported fires were likely put out before major damage could occur.

WRITING: Create an ad for the safety hood (CCSS ELA: W.1, W.2)

Ask students to imagine they work for Morgan’s company right after the rescue in the story. Have them create a print ad to help sell Morgan’s safety hood to fire departments. The ad should explain what the safety hood does and why fire departments should buy it. Encourage students to add details that demonstrate the safety hood’s importance. 

Text-to-Speech