945 - 1947 3c Thomas A. Edison
US #945 was issued on Edison’s 100th birthday.

On February 11, 1983, America celebrated its first Inventors’ Day.

Some nations had set aside days to honor their inventors before 1983 and some since. In January of that year, US President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation establishing February 11, Thomas Edison’s birthday, as Inventors’ Day.

It’s custom in many countries to celebrate Inventors’ Day on the birthday of a noted native inventor. Reagan chose Edison because of his prolific career. Over the course of his life, Edison received 1,093 patents in the US (plus more in other countries) and founded 14 companies – including what would become General Electric.

# 2055-58 - 1983 20c American Inventors
US #2055-58 honors inventors Charles Steinmetz, Edwin Armstrong, Nikola Tesla, and Philo T. Farnsworth.

In his proclamation, Reagan stated that “Inventors are the keystone of the technological progress that is so vital to the economic, environmental, and social well-being of this country. Individual ingenuity and perseverance, spurred by the incentives of the patent system, begin the process that results in improved standards of living, increased public and private productivity, creation of new industries, improved public services, and enhanced competitiveness of American products in world markets.”

Several American inventors have been honored on stamps – here are just a few:

# 889-93 - 1940 American Inventors, collection of 5 stamps
US #889-93 honors Eli Whitney, Samuel Morse, Cyrus McCormick, Elias Howe, and Alexander Graham Bell.
# 3061-64 - 1996 32c Pioneers of Communication
US #3061-64 honors pioneers in communication.
# 4021-24 - 2006 39c Benjamin Franklin
US #4021-24 – Franklin invented many things including the lightning rod, glass harmonica, Franklin stove, and bifocal glasses.
# 2180 - 1988 21c Great Americans: Chester Carlson
US #2180 – Chester Carlson developed xerography – the process of using electrostatic action to transfer dry powder on copy paper.
# 1286A - 1968 12c Henry Ford
US #1286A – Ford received 161 US patents.
# 1868 - 1984 40c Great Americans: Lillian M. Gilbreth
US #1868 – Gilbreth invented the foot-pedal trash can and developed the concept of shelves in refrigerator doors. She also improved the electric can opener and other kitchen appliances.
# 3870 - 2004 37c R. Buckminster Fuller
US #3870 – R. Buckminster Fuller invented the geodesic dome, among other things.
# 1270 - 1965 5c Robert Fulton
US #1270 – Robert Fulton invented and patented several items, including a dredging machine and the first modern naval torpedoes.
# 590 - 1926 9c Jefferson, rose
US #590 – Jefferson invented and improved on many creations. He’s credited as the creator of the swivel chair.
# 1710 - 1977 13c Lindbergh Flight
US #1710 – Lindbergh invented a glass perfusion pump that would later make heart surgeries possible.
# 3181 - 1998 32c Black Heritage: Madam C. J. Walker
US #3181 – Walker invented a scalp conditioning and healing tonic and became the first female self-made millionaire in America.
1988 36c Igor Sikorsky Airmail
US #C119 – Sikorsky is credited with inventing the first modern helicopter.
# C59 - 1959-61 25c Abraham Lincoln
US #C59 – Lincoln patented a device to lift boats off shoals in a river.

Did you know the American Innovation dollar coins honor American inventions and other milestones? Click here to view these coins and discover the inventions they honor.

Click here to read Reagan’s full proclamation.

FREE printable This Day in History album pages
Download a PDF of today’s article.
Get a binder or other supplies to create your This Day in History album.  

Discover what else happened on This Day in History.

Did you like this article? Click here to rate:
4.8/5 - (47 votes)
Share this Article

4 Comments

  3. Edison was a great inventor,but should not have taken credit for two inventions…Incandescent light bulb(a Canadian) and motion pictures(a Frenchman). I guess he was a very aggressive businessman.

    Reply

  4. I agree with Brian. It was not the best date to choose for Inventors’ Day. But, wow, that was a very interesting article. I especially like the captions that identified the invention.
    I enjoy these articles immensely. Thank you.

    Reply
  • Be nice and remember, we are all here to collect stamps!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *