Super Soaker Inventor Faced Racism as a Black Engineer | NowThis
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Before he created one of America's most iconic toys, Lonnie Johnson had to earn respect as a Black engineer - now he's inspiring the inventors and scientists of the future.
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This dude brought MILLIONS of hours of fun and exercise to MILLIONS of kids and adults. GOD BLESS THIS MAN!!!!!
Amén! I loved my supersocker
His story needs to be made into a movie.
This is the guy who is responsible for my fun childhood?!
This man is a hero to countless children. Who didn't love super soakers?! 10/10 great man
Brilliant, I never knew this.. 👏🏾💯🤯
Wow, thats cool he invented the super soaker i grew up with those as a kid! Good on him.
I remember Lonnie working at JPL. And I remember the day I first saw the super soaker! We were going crazy over it because it was so advanced compared to what anyone had at the time. So happy he found his life's calling. He worked on some fantastic missions. Blessings!
I studied Electrical Engineering in Philadelphia and worked in big and small tech companies on both east and west coasts for 30+ years, but never met a single black electrical engineer. There were plenty of African Americans in other disciplines, just not in the field of EE.
I knew of 2 black EE students back in the university so I know they're out there, but not enough. What's going on?
Raise your hand if you're a black EE student or electrical engineer.
These devices were such a transition from the old fashioned water balloon fights I participated in- albeit they were fun. This spared you from having to often run in and out the house; filling up balloons and yellin for lettin' in flies. Lol
We need to learn more about black and Latino inventors
Greatness!
We need a movie.
What demons gave this a thumbs down..
Trump supporters
THIS TITLE IS SOMEWHAT MISLEADING.
Do I feel like he faced racism? Yes.
But all he said was that he was underestimated. Who isn't at times.
Based on the title, I was expecting to
hear him tell stories of being called
names, projects or inventions sabotaged, and crimes being committed against him.
Also, why make that the title , as if that was the bulk of what he was expressing.
That's actually what he spent the least time addressing.
As beings, we need to be aware of our tendencies to fixate on issues which may be in our own minds, and
may not be true, or, may not be the whole truth.
Trust me, he was. He just doesn't dwell on it.
@@cappyjones
Can you express your comment a little better?
What did I say that you disagree with?
He grew up under Jim crow laws and was forced to attend a segregated high school. He joined the work force only only a few years after the civil right act was passed when black people were facing so much resettlement and racism form whites in the south. Its how you are triggered by the word "racism" in the title about a man who grew up in the racist jim crow south. You are truly pathetic.
@@Wudamonkey
Is it, or is it not, a misleading title?
You said that "we have to be aware of our tendencies to fixate on issues that may be in OUR OWN MINDS and may not be true" in response to Dr. Johnson not dwelling on the instances racism you were expecting to see in the video. That's what I was responding to. Maybe it was not your intent, but it sounds like you're suggesting that maybe he didnt experience much racism because he didn't dwell on it. The title being misleading or not was only a small part of what you wrote. And given your username, I don't think I'm far off.
Wow, never knew 👍
This is the genius who created one of the most memorable childhood toys!
Maybe learn the difference between invention and patent.
Childhood toy? I buy a new one every summer.
I was about the right age when these came on the market and revolutionized squirt gun equipment and tactics. it was like we went from muskets to proton packs that year
Kid Sid He still Invented the super soaker though, so he deserves full credit for his efforts. 👍
Why would someone dislike this?
This is actually interesting, he should be considered a role model for young black kids.
My kids are homeschooled and know all about these people.. I REFUSE to have some bias caucasian teach my kids. My parents hire a retired black teacher to teach them EVERY weekday..
He should be considered a role model!!
@@RUTHLESSambition5 thats great, however your statement kinda insinuates that all caucasians are biased.
A role model for all children no matter gender or race.
Born with a golden spoon, I don't blame you for home schooling. But my reasoning would be mainly because the public school system is pretty low quality, especially when it comes to teaching critical thinking and teaching about certain people, events, and ideas in history. I'm not so sure it's because white teachers are biased, though I'm sure some are, it's mainly because the tuition they're expected to teach is very inadequate.
Another "hidden" black succes... I never knew this before
That's the idea
I remember seeing something about him on a TV show back when I was a kid in the early 90s and I thought he was the coolest dude ever.
Here's a couple more... Fiber optics and Caller ID was invented by a black woman and the first CCTV security system was invented by a black woman. 👍
that’s their goal
@@michaelspencer1315 names please
It's an atrocity that brilliant people like him are ignored while people who aren't engineers, like Elon Musk, are revered.
Number one he's a old school nerd, so he might already be famous in the land of nerds and number two he still has time to invent something that'll make him famous
@Adam Lets Play and what does him being bullied and his parents being divorced has to do with being rich or successful? How do you know this other man wasn't bullied as well? If we consider the time he went to college whereby segregation is still prominent, I could say he went through a lot more than elon
Ah yes. Compare the man that has made a multi million dollar fully electric car company (first of its kind) started his OWN space program, and successfully put 2 people into space, to the man who made a water gun toy, and worked with a team of hundreds of engineers for nasa. There’s a very big difference doing something actually beneficial to society vs making toys.
@@DeliriantPsychosis1442 he didn't start Tesla, he bought the title of founder when he acquired the company. He did co-found PayPal, but he's not an engineer designing anything himself. He pays people to do that. Oh, and Tesla is a historically unprofitable company so...
That is the story of tech.
I’m surprised they didn’t try to steal his idea and claim it....like they always do🤦🏾🤔🤫🤷🏾♀️
?? like?
...you know they did
kaira504 forreal?!?
Lorg Porg do I have to say or do you really not know who be stealing people’s stuff and claiming it in this country
chris Barnett *news flash* I don’t work 😊👍🏾
Imagine all the men that are now racist and used to play when they were kids with a toy a black man invented
Oppsss good one. Say it again
@SsSs RoBbSs Why is that special?
I suspect that if racists knew how many of the things they use were invented by African Americans, their heads would explode.
SsSs RoBbSs You people are so terrified of black success. You always have to reflexively assure yourself that you are on top. If your self-worth is tied to a made up belief that you are somehow magically better than others, what will you ever do when non-white nations overtake predominantly white nations? That is only a generation or so away. Or, if you are American, when there are more non-white people in the US than whites. You really should find another way to make yourself feel good about yourself.
@@free22 Real talk!
The 90s was my childhood years the super soakers and power rangers all day every day especially in the summer days were the most fun with the Super Soakers
Thumbs up if you’ve gotten the original green and yellow when you were a kid
My big brother did. I LOVED his Super Soaker and wanted one like it ever since. 😌
Wasn't it blue and yellow yellow being a smaller one blue being the bigger one?
Wouldn't you just love to hear this gentle man narrate a nature movie or be the voice of a cartoon character? He has a very listen-to-able voice!!
He seems like a heck of a nice guy! I just want to give him a big hug!!!!
Smooth voice like morgan Freeman.
He should do a science show for kids!
That is impressive, this guy is like an modern Albert Einstein..
So how about Alabama changes one of their racist statues to one of him
As a female in physics, I attest to the fact that persistence will help you reach your goal.
@I like Potatoes and what does your friend have anything to do with the point of OP's comment tho lol
@I like Potatoes where was the persistence when your friend was high? Luck has little to do with it. It takes hard work. Give me a name of a successful scientist who reached his success through luck alone.
Jean Guy Yeah, that’s not even a true statement.
@I like PotatoesI dare you to do some research. The majority of discoveries and inventions require hard work. The discovery of penicillin wasn't 100% accidental. There are different types of mold and fungi, it had to be tested and researched. Do you think that Alexander Fleming, just picked mold off of bread and injected it directly into his arm?
Thank. As a black in physic too.
A positive story and still 27 people came here to dislike it. But there’s no race problem? SMDH
There is such a thing as dislike bots on youtube. Every video no matter how positive, will inherent dislikes.
AMERICA , ISN'T IT IRONIC THAT WE AFRICAN AMERICANS ALWAYS GET SMALL PRINTS IN HISTORY FOR ANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT SUCCEEDS BUT HEADLINERS WHEN THINGS GOES WRONG. 😷
That's basically everyone dude t try not just black people ever heard of the man that invented frozen food? He was white. It's bot just black people for inventors you only get lucky to be remembered and reconized. The reason people get headlines when getting in trouble is because it get attention give money to the reporters and if the person escapes from jail his or her face is already plastered on every surface.
I get u but ur kinda reaching. I mean u wrote in all caps for gods sake haha. It’s kind of a broad generalization like how BLM says there is systematic racism within the U.S. police force. Which is false. Just a few bad apples.
@@crenshaw22 Okay then... Then explain the "blue wall of silence".
@A Stoic's Door IF YOU WERE BORN DURING SEGREGATION AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT NO YOU DIDN'T LEARN OF MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS YOU DID OF THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE SOUTH. IF YOU'RE A GENERATION OF THE SEVENTIES AND SO FORTH YOUR EDUCATION WOULD HAVE EXPANDED MORE ON OUR AFRICAN AMERICANS EXISTENCE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 😷
@@crenshaw22 I WRITE IN CAPS BECAUSE OF MY BOLDNESS AND STRONG COMMENTS ON ANY GIVEN SUBJECTS I INTERJECT . ON THE BLM SITUATION THE PROTESTERS ARE FANNING THE FLAMES OF INJUSTICE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ESPECIALLY AFRICAN AMERICANS BUT WE ALL KNOW THERE ARE SOME BAD APPLES IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES BUT THE OFFICERS WHO WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE NEED TO COME FROM BEHIND THE BLUE WALLS OF 🙈🙊🙉 WHEN THEY KNOW WRONG HAVE BEEN COMMITTED IN THE WAY A SITUATION WAS HANDLED AND WE PEOPLE OF COLOR GOT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALLOWING DRUG DEALERS , GANGS AND THOSE THAT COMMIT CRIMES AND WE DO THE SAME 🙈🙊🙉 ALL THE WHILE OUR COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE LIVE IN FEAR AND RUNDOWN POVERTY . I CAN SAY THIS ON MY BEHALF AND RACE WHEN IT COMES TO IMPROPER POLICING SKIN COLOR PLAYS A BIG PART WHENEVER THE LAW IS INVOLVED. 😷
This guy came to my school in Nebraska when I was a kid.
Were part u from and when did it happen that's dope af
I'm from Omaha
andre holliday Crete Nebraska. 15 minutes outside of Lincoln
@@masterofcarts7955 I know were it is dats wassup y'all schools and colleges out dere get it all lol I think ppl was to scared to come to Omaha lol
Of course Millard get everything tho lol
95 degree outside tomorrow I know what we're doing. Supporting Black inventors.
You wanna make a Trump supporter/racist really mad...show them this video.
They've seen it. It already has 29 thumbs down. 🤔
abracosa07 Lmao calm down. What point are you trying to make with this comment?
abracosa07 do you acts you know how many things were patent from black people during reconstruction?
@abracosa07 The Super Soaker is one of his many accomplishments. As stated in the video He worked for the Air Force, NASA, and worked on nuclear power and has more things in the pipeline working with NASA. Just because he's most known for the Super Soaker does not mean it's his greatest achievement. He has done just as much if not more than most white men. Not many people, regardless of race, can say they've worked at the Air Force, NASA, on nuclear energy and invented a toy that's made more than a billion dollars. It's pretty incredible.
Edit: I forgot to mention nerf guns. So add that to the list.
This video actually makes me really happy. Nice try generalizing though.
It's Nerf or Nothing
He seems such a lovely guy, as mother of three boys I'm grateful for he's work.
All the GREAT inventions are created by us🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️ Black man holds 45% of computer patents,we invented the 1st super computer,without us car accidents would be the leading cause of death(stop light) etc etc etc
The black man holds 45% of computer patents?
That's lying.
-from an Engineer who wishes to see more black engineers in our society.
Allin7days I wish I took STEM more seriously 😩!
I’d love to see the source for that information
@@DeliriantPsychosis1442 its buzzfeed they say that black poeple invented the computer but was something else its seems media outlets seems to bend the truth
@Adam Lets Play You can pi$$ off Asians, but I never heard them saying "go back to ...". It's only a white thing.
This guy is worth millions because of a childhood favorite toy. Please celebrate him!
If you dislike this think long and hard about whether or not you should continue to exist
Lol, ikr 😎👍
I'm so glad that I attended an HBCU. We learn a lot in Engineering History.
Cool dude. A few years ago I read about a new heat powered engine using permeable membranes and a hydrogen cycle he is wirkung /working on.
Black Intelligence. I employ your super soakers in various forms other than its water use. Anti police brutality, defense, offense.
I DIDNT EVEN KNOW THIS!
Salute..never knew a black man invented my favorite toy as a kid 90’s baby 🤘🏾✊🏾🤎
Is Nerf or nothing! 👍💖🤗 this was my childhood, thanks to an amazing guy. 🌷
Wow this man is amazing and a big part in the engineering community
If only people like Elijah McClain was still alive.
if only people like tony timpa was still alive
If only people like Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Fred Rodgers, was still alive.
I did a lesson on him this year. His invention made summers that much more awesome as a kid. I always wanted the one with the backpack
I make my kids do reports on great black people.. and I want DETAILS. We don't worship no caucasian Jesus here,no caucasian teachers or caucasian Drs. We can't trust our kids with these bias people. Some are good but we can't tell the bad 1s from the good 1s
@@RUTHLESSambition5 you started making sense in your first sentence and the rest of it doesn't sound like anything else I agree with I teach all history and learning history doesn't mean worshipping individuals unless you choose to do so I guess I feel like if you're going to judge people the same way you don't like to get judged then you're just as bad as them. Just to let you know you can tell the good ones from the bad ones in any particular group of people because every ethnicity or group of people has their good and they're bad the worst thing you can do is box a whole entire group of people together especially by ethnicity and say that they're all the same.
@@TheLicktysplitz you got me with the backpack one. I wanted that thing so bad when I was a kid. Had no idea the guy that invented super soakers was a black dude. That's cool. The things you learn as you grow older I guess. This guy has got to be a millionaire by now. I mean every kid wanted nerf guns and super soakers when I was growing up.
Your mom gave me a backpack
you're totally right every kid wanted Nerf and Super Soakers .I always thought that backpack one would have changed the game in my water fight skills lol. I would think he would have made a lot of money off of that
A true American Hero.
I learned about him when I was a young girl in the 90s. It was so cool to know that he and his family lived not too far from me. His super speakers and nerd guns were everybody's favorite!
Giving credit to someone who deserves it 🙌🏽🙏🏿👏🏾😀
He's the man! Super soakers are a wonderful memory from my childhood 😊
Is it just me or are we all slowly starting to realize that black people built more of America than we thought we did. Medicine, Technology, even most of America’s culture-then and now- has ridden on the backs of POC.
Yep and you can blame white people for that horrible fact
Did anyone else get reminded of The Matrix when it's mentioned the man is inventing a device to convert body heat to energy? 😂
Where would civilised human be without the super soaker. Pressure propelled water pure genius
Thank you sir for getting my kids to play outside instead of my freshly cleaned home 😂😂
I want to hug that man, just for giving me a great childhood 😄
I'm a 41 yo black woman I did not hear that a black man invented the supersoaker until the mid 90s. I didn't even learn it at school, I learned it by listening to the Tom Joyner Morning show. I didn't know his name and I surely did not know his other fantastic accomplishments. I loved computer science as a kid, coded a little tennis game before I even knew the word "coding' . As an adult, I have always worked in tech or tech adjacent roles in support or a super user/ early implementers . Growing up in SC in the 80s and 90s, they weren't advocating STEM careers for black kids, much less black girls. I am just becoming a developer now at 41. Better late than never. The internet is amazing because it makes faces like this far more visible and the next generation of black boys and girls will see him and all these other examples that can be simply googled or followed on IG or Twitter and will have the encouragement that I never had.
Dr Johnson and Tom Joyner? Both Tuskegee University Alumni! 👍🏾🐯
He made my childhood. Smart smart smart guy
This invention was one of the funniest toys as a kid. Still is.🙂
I would have never guessed this amazing man made one of my favorite child hood toys!! Incredible!!
"Black engineer" why in the USA are si obsessed with the color of the skin? He is an engineer
Because they want people to see race and be victims so they’re spineless people waiting for government handouts.. oh wait.. that’s been happening since welfare was instituted
Because only in America are those two words black and engineer surprising to people. People need to talk about black engineers until it is no longer a big deal in people’s minds anymore.
America was built on race
Thank you for encouraging me to walk up to the neighbor's door on a hot summer day, knocking, and asking if they could come out and play (until the sun goes down).
This is what young kids need to make it in life. Thanks DR. I needed to hear this.
Tell someone you got a a gun designed by nuclear engineers from NASA
He’s amazing!!!!!!
This dude is the freaking KING OF GOATS
Everyone should get one and fill it with soapy water. Let's scrub the air of this covid
He looks like a god
these are hard to find and expensive af now. remember having these in the 90s. the last great decade.
Thank you for the hours of entertainment and joy as a child... Oh who am I kidding I still play with them
Of course people would get racist it's a disgusting world
This guy is essentially the god father of airsofting. Squirt guns were the first time most of us got to blast our friends with absolute undeniable prejudiced: clothes, furniture, family pets, siblings parents... All were equal upon the water soaked battle fields of our youth.
Lol, exactly 😎👍
Never knew that this was created by a black man
This man is living history
so this guy invented my all time favorite toy that is so cool
OMG I LOVE THIS MAN! shaped my childhood
Good thing he makes it look like toy,otherwise stormtroopers will shoot you,will real gun.
OMG I love the old school water guns 🔫 that was fun back in the day 🔫
I am grateful God brought this man unto this planet because his invention gave me a lot of great memories along the way, so to that I say thank you sir and may God bless you on your mission.
Bro I would have basically no childhood without him!
I luv’d playing with water guns in the 90s. Especially the backpack super soaker.
Who knew? I’m thrilled! I must have bought dozens of Super Soakers by now! Hooray for Engineer Johnson!
Super Soakers AND Nerf?! My dude! 🤩 I really want the bazooka of Super Soakers though. 😔 Anyone got any recommendations? 😆
WAW.....! . Thank you for the enlightening message.
"In Engineering & Technology every kid can turn pro" them words carry so much weight
Thanks for showing this.I am a black Nuclear chemist and black people are not dumb like most of the racists out there think. I say this because I experienced this many times
@SsSs RoBbSs you are not black because I doubt very much that you are. Even if you were, are you a scientist? Are you a scientist who has been called dumb and under-estimated by people who do not have same colour of skin as you? Now, if your answer to all these questions is No, say nothing. If you have never walked in my shoes do not ever think you have an opinion on what I think or say. Smh for you.
Absolute Nonsense, talking about "no one said black people are dumb". That you even attempted to generalize your isolated knowledge of what black people go through shows me that your mind is narrow and archaic.
Super cool...I did not know this. Information that I will definitely pass on.
This man brought fun to millions of ungrateful racist kids !!!
Wow so inspiring. Big respect to this genius.
One of many Black Heroes of my Childhood
Anytime someone says "name one black inventor" I point them towards this legend.
Please bring them back! We need them, todays waterguns are so borring.
This is an awesome toy !! Who doesn't love super soaker !
Shout out to all the black engineers!!!!
I sure hope he got majority of that Billion dollars.
I really wish we had a human race empire not divide colour empired. Human race could really go far
At first they tried to say it was a white man who invented this product, just like the fiber optic guy.
I love this because its prove all black people can have great job and they say black people always never be successful in their job but its false and this video prove it .
This guy is pure genius these are some of the best outdoor toys ever. I had a lot of water guns and nothing else comes close. I would like to know more about the batteries he is designing.
Im sorry you had to prove yourself over the other engineers that's a shame! But you showed em and made so many people happy young and old all I have to say is thank you! And good for you!👏
Salute and respect 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌