Behind the DID illustrations

If asked who invented the automobile, the light bulb, or the iPhone, chances are you can answer pretty easily. What about the doorknob, traffic light, or elevator? These everyday items that make our lives easier all have one thing in common—they are the creative innovations of Black designers. Often overlooked, Black history is rich with inventors, visionaries, and engineers! Check out this beautiful illustration by Forest Young, Head of Design at Wolff Olins, and Kelly O’Hara, Manager of Art Direction at Herman Miller, that highlights just a few of the Black creatives who continuously impact our lives through design.

FIG. A. Garett Morgan designed the traffic light in 1923

FIG. B. O. Dorsey designed the door knob in 1878

The DID Collaborative aims to amplify Black designers while acknowledging the past Black experiences and the present. As new creatives enter design programs and industries, the current standards and teachings highlight design heavily influenced by European culture. DID is walking into its inaugural year hoping to disrupt current pathways that will allow for diversity in design, shifting its definition as we understand it today.

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