The BIPOC Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Also Inventors

By Jasmine Browley ·Updated May 19, 2022

There have been millions of patents approved over the years.

From Albert Einstein to George Washington Carver, inventors have quite literally changed the way the world works. However, the most useful technologies don’t always come by way of a renowned scientist or career inventor–they are created by some of our BIPOC favorite entertainers.

From Michael Jackson to Nicole Ari Parker, some of the celebs who grace the glossy covers of our favorite magazines are also making innovative strides that ultimately make our lives easier with their creative minds.

01Micheal JacksonWe all know the King of Pop is not only one of the best entertainers in the history of music, but did you know he’s also an inventor? Among his many hits, in 1988 he released the groundbreaking music video Smooth Criminal which left watchers wondering how he was able to pull off one particular move. In the video, Jackson and his dancers are seen performing a gravity-defying lean that wouldn’t have been possible without his creative genius. The move left his body leaning over about 45 degrees forward without toppling over and then returning back to his original upright position.The amazing feat was due to a shoe designed by Jackson and two of his associates, Michael Bush and Dennis Tumpkin, according to

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