Frederick Mckinley Jones

February 25, 2008

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Profile America for the 25th day of Black History Month. One African-American’s solution to a problem helped to determine what kinds of food all Americans eat today. After service in World War I, Frederick McKinley Jones went to work as a garage mechanic. A self-taught master of everything electrical, he received more than 60 patents. The inspiration for his most notable invention was a conversation with a truck driver who had lost a shipment of chickens on a hot day. Jones then developed the first refrigeration system for long-haul trucks, so perishable foods could be safely shipped for long distances. Now, moving specialized freight such as perishable foods by long distance trucks is a $19 billion a year business in the U.S. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.