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NORBERT RILLIEUX |
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| Like his father Norbert Rillieux was a great inventor. After growing up in France he returned to where he was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Here he invented a vacuum pan that revolutionized the sugar industry. It was invented in 1843 but took three years before it was actually used in sugar plantations. The vacuum pan made the sugar taste better. It was also faster and less expensive. With the vacuum pan sugar could be made using less heat which meant it was safer. Plantation owners that used the vacuum pan system gained more profit because it needed less workers. Rillieux moved back to France but returned later to his hometown in New Orleans. When he returned he found that blacks and whites were segregated from each other. Despite prejudice Rillieux decided to stay. He developed an effective sewer system for the city but due to prejudice it was never built. A few years later a system almost identical to Rillieux's was installed. Only it was designed by a white person. Rillieux than moved back to France. He began to study Egyptian hieroglyphics with the champollians who were experts. Rillieux died in France on 1894. Rillieux was probably one of the greatest African-American inventors. |
| Reference: http://www.donegal.k12.pa.us/dms/Kif/rillieux.htm |
| Constructed By: Kimberly Williams |
