The first traffic signal with indicators for stop, go and caution was patented this month in 1923. The green light went to African-American inventor Garrett Morgan, who decided to do something after witnessing a collision between a car and a horse-drawn wagon on a Cleveland street. At the time, there were already more than 15 million motor vehicles on the nation’s roads. Morgan’s three-position signal was manually operated by a traffic officer during peak hours. This invention, with its staffing and mechanical requirements, was soon overtaken by the now-familiar system of green, yellow and red lights. Today’s traffic signals regulate the movements of the nearly 255 million motor vehicles in the U.S. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.
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I’m personally thankful for all the human intelligence that has led us to our current convenient reality. Despite all the screaming and kicking humanity does, we can all be very thankful we haven’t obliterated each other. That’s a lot of thanks! Eat well and give thanks you can.