Granville T. Woods was an African American inventor and electrical engineer born on April 23, 1856, in Columbus, Ohio. He is best known for his contributions to the development of electrical systems and devices, including the telegraph and the induction motor. Woods held over 60 patents throughout his career, significantly impacting the fields of transportation and communication. Woods worked for several railroads and used his experiences to invent the multiplex telegraph, which allowed multiple messages to be sent over a single wire. His innovations helped improve the efficiency of the railroad industry, making him a key figure in the advancement of electrical engineering during the late 19th century.