Epilogue

Abstract

The epilogue reflects on what invention meant to Headen and to the larger artisanal class from which he came and examines his legacy. Addressed are his influence on other African American transportation technology pioneers, his encouragement of mechanization among British farmers, the role of his bi-fuel engine improvements in supporting the British war effort in World War II, and his long-term influence on engine designs and on anti-icing technologies for air and rotor craft, turbine engines, and wind turbines. The epilogue also probes historiographical questions illuminated by Headen’s story, including the nature of African American automobility in the 1920s, specifically the participation of black beauty culturalists as investors and the automobile’s role in expanding African American social networks; the influence of early religious leaders on the business strategies of African American entrepreneurs; and the implications that social networks carry for personal success and for future racial advancement.