James Fergason
Inventor
American inventor and pioneer in the field of liquid crystal display technology who created the first practical LCD screen. He was amember of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and he held over 150 patents in the United States and over 500 foreign patents during his career.
He attended a one-room elementary school in rural Missouri.
In 1971 a Swiss watch company adapted his patented LCD technology to their products and by 1977 most digital watches were LCD.
His family moved to Carollton, MO, and he was allowed to attend a large high school and enroll in the University of Missouri.
Like Josephine Cochrane, inventor of the washing machine, his discovery earned him a spot in the National Inventors Hall of Fame.