A Black man revolutionized modern shoe production, and most people don’t know his name. Jan Ernst Matzeliger invented the shoe lasting machine in the late 1800s, a device that automated the most difficult part of making shoes and made mass production possible. Before his invention, shoes were slow and expensive to make by hand. After it, shoes became affordable for everyday people and the global footwear industry exploded. But as a Black inventor, Jan faced constant barriers. Banks refused to lo

2.2K views · 128 reactions | Jan Ernst Matzeliger born 1852 was an African American in the shoe industry | Jan AbdulRahim | Facebook