August 3 to August 6 the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center is leading "Invention on the Mall - A Family Invention Festival".  It will take place in various Smithsonian Museums (National Museum of American History, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, and National Museum of Natural History) on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

The weekend-long event will help the Lemelson Center kick off its second decade as a nationally recognized organization which documents, interprets, and disseminates information about invention and innovation.

David Crosthwait was born in 1898 and died in 1976.  He was an engineer, an inventor and considered an expert in heat transfer, ventilation, and air conditioning.  Crosthwait held numerous patents, as well as, designed the heating system for Radio City Music Hall.

Since this month is designated as Black History Month, periodically during these 28 days I plan to highlight various African-American inventors, who have contributed through their inventions and/or patents, to our society.

Robert Norbert Rillieux (March 18, 1806-October 8, 1894), inventor and engineer, is most noted for inventing the multiple-effect evaporator, an energy-efficient means of evaporating water. This invention was an important development in the growth of the sugar industry.