By Alexander Dworkowitz
By all accounts, the travails of the Lewis Latimer House, the historic Flushing home that belonged to the 19th century black inventor who developed the carbon filament for lightbulbs, have made a compelling saga.
In 1988, the house, threatened with demolition by a developer, was trucked from Holly Avenue to an empty plot on Leavitt Street.
In the 1990s, members of the Lewis H. Latimer Fund Inc. worked to raise funds to repair the damaged structure, which was built in the late 19th century, and transform it into a full-time museum.
More recently, those in charge of the house discovered some of the wood used in the repairs was not properly treated, setting the stage for further renovations.
But nowthe friends of the historic home believe they see the light at the end of the tunnel.
In April, the Latimer fund kicked off a campaign to raise funds to repair the structure, hire a head for the organization and arrange exhibits to make the home a full-time museum.
“I have very high hopes,” said Dr. Winifred Latimer Norman, the inventor's granddaughter and a vice president of the fund.
Born in 1848, Latimer was involved in some of the most important inventions of his day.
Working for Thomas Edison, Latimer created the carbon filament, which lasted much longer than the original filament used by Edison. Carbon filaments are still used in light bulbs today.
Latimer also sketched designs for the telephone for Alexander Graham Bell.
The son of runaway slaves, Latimer was born in Chelsea, Mass. He served in the Union Navy in the Civil War, working as a clerk in a law firm specializing in patents before turning to science. He lived the last 28 years of his life in Flushing, where he died in 1928.
Latimer also was a poet, playwright, painter and a musician.
“He was, in today's language, a Renaissance man,” said Millicent O'Meally, a member of the fund.
O'Meally said the goal of the museum was to encourage youth in Queens to learn about Latimer's contributions.
“When I was growing up, when my children were growing up, we didn't learn anything about Latimer,” she said. “You heard a lot about Edison, but you never heard anything about Latimer.”
The Latimer House was registered as a landmark in 1995. In 1999, it opened with an exhibit on the inventor's life and work. The house has had several other exhibitions since, but the fund has lacked the money to transform the house into a full-time museum.
Ken Cohen, the president of both the fund and the Northeastern Queens NAACP, said his organization has become more aggressive about raising money with the new campaign.
In the past, the fund mostly targeted friends of its members for support, while also receiving assistance from Con Edison. But now Cohen is casting a wider net, hoping that other energy and telephone companies will donate as well.
“I think we have finally come of age,” Cohen said. “I think right now we are ready to take that leap.”
Cohen admitted the fund-raising climate is difficult. But he hopes the house will become a full-time museum by the end of 2004. He estimated the fund would need to raise $250,000 a year to keep the museum running.
Once complete, the museum will feature a mockup of Latimer's study, an interactive exhibit on how the light bulb works and information on the life of Latimer and other black inventors, Cohen said.
The Latimer House also may become a member of the Historic House Trust of New York City, a non-profit organization that provides support to historic house museums in the city.
For more information on the Latimer Fund, call 718-353-5870.
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 141.
