Lonnie Johnson grew up in the segregated city of Mobile, Alabama. He excelled at mechanical technology and experimentation. His buddies nicknamed him “The Professor.” Johnson represented his high school at a 1968 science fair sponsored by the Junior Engineering Technical Society. He attended Tuskegee University on a scholarship and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering. He worked for NASA and later helped Hasbro with cutting-edge innovations for its Nerf line of toys.
Lonnie Johnson Wiki
Lonnie George Johnson is best known for his invention of the Super Soaker water gun, a toy that has generated billions in sales and earned a spot among the top 20 bestselling toys of all time. He holds a total of 88 patents and has been involved with numerous projects that range from an early version of DVD-reading technology to a biodegradable plastic substitute for oil.
Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, Johnson was naturally curious about how things worked. He began to experiment with the mechanics of devices around him, building everything from a pressurized Chinaberry shooter to a lawnmower engine attached to a go-kart that he would race down the highway until the police pulled him over. At Williamson High School, Johnson was a fan of inventor and scientist George Washington Carver, and at the school’s annual science fair in 1968, he presented a compressed-air robot he had constructed from junkyard scraps and a two-liter soda bottle.
After graduating from high school, Johnson was awarded a scholarship to Tuskegee University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in nuclear engineering. He worked on the Air Force’s stealth bomber project and later joined NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he worked on the Galileo spacecraft on its flight to Jupiter. While working at the lab, he continued to tinker with his inventions, including a heat pump that ran on water instead of Freon, which could harm the Earth’s ozone layer.
Musician
Lonnie Johnson was one of the finest blues and jazz guitarists of his day. His virtuoso playing blended a high level of musicianship with evocative blues licks, influencing musicians from Django Reinhardt to Eric Clapton.
Johnson was born in Mobile, Alabama on October 6, 1949. His father was a civilian driver at local Air Force bases, and his mother was sometimes employed as a laundry worker or nurse’s aide. He dreamed of becoming an inventor, and as a young man, he experimented with everything from making rocket fuel in his kitchen to creating his musical instrument. He once tore up his sister’s baby doll just to see what made its eyes close.
In the 1920s he worked as a street performer in New Orleans and toured Europe with a revue show. He also played with Charles Creath’s Jazz-O-Maniacs and Fate Marable on riverboat steamers in St. Louis and sailed with them to Texas, where he played in theaters.
Even though his early records didn’t sell well, Peel was an admirer of Johnson. He played tracks from his albums on the LPs he compiled for Decca in the 1960s and featured him with other artists including Eddie Lang. He also featured Johnson on his Rhythm And Blues shows, which were aimed at black listeners. During his career, Johnson also worked as an auto mechanic, in a tire factory and steel mill, and in a munitions plant.
Educator
Johnson is a highly accomplished engineer, having worked for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the United States Air Force. He has also been involved in developing rechargeable batteries and sustainable solar power. Johnson has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from Tuskegee University. He has founded several technology companies, including Johnson Research and Development Co. and its spinoff companies, Excellatron Solid State and Johnson Electro-Mechanical Systems.
As a child, Johnson was curious about how things worked and began to experiment with them. He once took apart his sister’s baby doll to find out what made the eyes close. He later earned a scholarship to Tuskegee University and became an engineer. He has since become a pioneer in his field and has contributed to the advancement of Black science.
Johnson has been an active supporter of the science and technology programs of the Georgia FIRST Foundation for years. He has donated over 20,000 square feet of his facility to the organization for building space and scrimmage events. In addition, he has served on the board of 100 Black Men of Atlanta.
Johnson’s story is an excellent example of the importance of persistence and innovation in the face of adversity. It is also a great example of the impact that one person can make on a community.
Activist
Lonnie Johnson is an inventor, entrepreneur, and advocate for science education. He is a member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta and is involved with many other community organizations that support young people. He is also an author of numerous technical papers and an adviser to several engineering companies.
He is a graduate of Williamson High School, a segregated school in Mobile, Alabama, and Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University. He earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He worked for the Air Force in several capacities and was involved in developing the stealth bomber program. He has over 40 patents and continues to work in thermo- and fluid dynamics. He is also developing an improved home radon detector, a rechargeable battery, and a heat pump that uses water instead of Freon.
As a congressional staffer, Lonnie Johnson has filed personal financial disclosures. LegiStorm subscribers can see a summary of his disclosures, graphed year by year to illuminate trends. Click here to subscribe or login to your LegiStorm Pro account.