Forgotten Black inventor Jan Matzeliger; shoe lasting machine Black history not taught in schools black inventor erased from history hidden black history facts black historical figures untaught truths hidden slavery truths U.S. history unknown black historical facts black historical facts Jan Matzeliger shoe lasting machine #blackhistoryfacts #historytok #blackexcellence #blackhistory #hiddenhistory | Black History, Society, and Culture

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