DescriptionThis book commemorates the exhibition at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair (also called the Louisiana Purchase Exposition) of a selection of early electric lamp models, including one designed by Lewis Latimer. The selection was assembled by William J. Hammer, a colleague of Latimer’s in Edison’s companies. At the fair, Latimer’s lamp was displayed with a label by Hammer which read, “This lamp was invented by a colored man, Mr. L. H. Latimer, in New York, 1882, and was presented to me by Mr. Latimer in 1884.” In this, his personal copy of the book, Latimer proudly wrote on the leaf inside the front cover, “See pg. 89—Latimer lamp,” along with other notes.