Thomas L. Jennings

Thomas L. Jennings is the inventor of ‘dry scouring,’ which is method used in modern day dry cleaning. He was born in 1791, month and date unknown. During this time most African American’s were born as slaves. Fortunately, he was born in New York City, a freeman. Jennings married a woman named Elizabeth, who was an indentured servant. She wasn’t fully emancipated until 1827. Together they had three children, Matilda, Elizabeth, and James.

Thomas being born into a free black family allowed him to learn a trade. He became a tailor and eventually opened his shop in New York. He often found customers complaining about stains in their clothing, which led him to creating a method using chemicals that could remove stains without harming the fabrics in the clothes. Jennings is the first black person to receive a paten, due to the climate of the times. Black people often created inventions, but their “owners” would receive credit for the inventions.  As the patten act of 1793 stated one had to sign an oath stating they were a US citizen. Jennings being a free man, he was able to sign his name and own the rights to his invention.   

In 1821 Jennings was granted a paten for the solvent he created called ‘dry scouring’ for removing stains from clothes without harming or destroying the fabric. Thomas used the money from his invention to invest in the abolitionist movement. In 1821 he became the assistant of the “First Annual Convention of Colored People,” which met for the first time that year in June, in Philadelphia.” Jennings also supported the “Freedom’s Journal,” which was the first black owned newspaper in the US. Jennings passed away in New York City, 1859.

Thank you, Thomas L. Jennings for your contributions to the culture!