Lewis Howard Latimer (1848–1928) was an African American inventor and draftsman known for his contributions to electrical engineering and the development of the incandescent light bulb. He worked with Alexander Graham Bell and for Thomas Edison, playing a role in refining carbon filaments for electric light bulbs. Arc lamps were an early form of electric lighting that used a high-voltage current to create a bright and sustained light arc between two electrodes. They were widely used in the late 19th century for streetlights, industrial lighting, and public spaces before incandescent bulbs became more practical. During the early 1880s, while working for Hiram Maxim’s U. S. Electric Lighting Co., Latimer installed arc lighting in a Montreal rail yard and station.

Latimer Family Papers (1870-1996 ) [QPL Full Collection]