Lonnie Johnson

Lonnie Johnson invented the Super Soaker in 1989 and has since focused his engineering expertise on advancing rechargeable battery technology and sustainable solar power. As a child, he learned to build toys from his father, and his passion for invention was further inspired by fellow Black innovator George Washington Carver.

Since its debut, Johnson’s iconic water gun has sold hundreds of millions of units and was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2015. Seven years later, he was honored with induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Today, alongside his work on battery advancements, Johnson and his team are developing the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter (JTEC), an engine designed to convert solar heat into electricity more efficiently than existing technologies.