Today in Black History: February 5, 1884 Willis Johnson invented the mechanical egg beater

African-American Willis Johnson of Cincinnati, Ohio, patented and improved the mechanical egg beater (U.S. pat# 292,821) on February 5, 1884. The beater was made up of a handle attached to a series of spring-like whisk wires used to help mix ingredients. Prior to his eggbeater, all mixing of ingredients was done by hand and was quite labor-intensive and time-consuming.