Thermo King, Cold Food, and Black Innovation They Hid From You | Let's Get Real Ep. 29

Most of your daily life runs on Black innovation and you don’t even know the names. That’s not just “history class trivia.” That’s power. Because when you don’t know who built the system, you don’t learn how to build your own.

This episode is a Black History Month Series spotlight on Frederick McKinley Jones the man tied to the refrigeration units you see on top of semi trailers. The “reefers.” The reason food can move across the country without turning into trash. The reason supply chains evolved. The reason modern life feels “easy” in ways we take for granted.

And the bigger message is uncomfortable: over time, inventions go mainstream and we forget who created them. Then we forget that invention, innovation, and ownership are literally how America got built. We lose the hunger to create. We lose the respect for builders. And we start living inside systems we didn’t design.

So I’m challenging you in this one: be your own innovator. In your business, in your household, in the way your family runs. Write down the processes that make life smoother. Trace where they came from. Learn the history. Because the moment you understand how systems get built, you stop being a passenger in your own life.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yEvqSVMdqiA

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Transcript

Your life runs on Black innovation

Stoy Hall 0:00

Of your daily life runs on black innovators, those that have created things that you just don't know of. And the problem with that is a lot of others own that now, and that's who you think invented it or has created this easy life way of life for you. In the next 12 minutes, I'm gonna teach you about probably one of the most important inventors when it comes to how our transportation of our food happens, how it helps save World War II and ultimately what you see on the road every day, but you just don't know who invented it. And that man is Frederick McKinley Jones. So this black man, someone you've never heard of before, revolutionized the ability for us to move our food refrigeration wise without just ice and salt. Uh, and it really came to light when it was back in 1940, during World War ii, so our American soldiers could get their

Meet Frederick McKinley Jones

Stoy Hall 0:45

food delivered to them no matter where they're at without it spoiling to this day that transportation happens all over the place. Everywhere you look, just look at the trucks. And look at the ones that refrigerated. Frederick McKinley is the one who invented those refrigeration units. So here's some proof and what history shows with inventions. One, typically back then, you're gonna know who invented it. But over time, as these inventions go and they become mainstream, we lose sight of who invented them. We

WWII and why refrigeration mattered

Stoy Hall 1:10

lose sight of the history. Skillet took the understanding of what the innovation does, and now when it's on a grand scale as as big as it is. We lose sight of that and then it gets worse. Not only do we lose sight of that, we lose sight of the fact that being innovative and creating things like this is the way of life. It's how America was built. It's how great our world is today is because of our inventors. And now we don't really have that passion. We don't have that drive. We don't have that understanding. And I think fundamentally it comes down to the fact that we don't know the history of who created the innovations that live our life or drive our lives to this day. And so now I'm done teasing you. Could you guess. What company that is? Thermo King. Anyone heard of Thermo King? I want you to go by and look at the reefers, which a reefer is that refrigeration unit on top of trailers. That's semis pole, and you're gonna see a lot that say Thermo King. That was the original company when it comes to refrigeration boxes and delivery

Thermo King and the reefer trucks you see daily

Stoy Hall 2:00

of foods. So yes, you can think a black man Frederick McKinley for getting you frozen and cold foods all across America in our transportation. Could you imagine if that never happened? Where we would be. Now, I wanna challenge you to where you at in your life? Be your own innovator, right? Business owner, myself. This is kind of innovation for me. Um, others. Maybe you're not a business owner. Maybe it's something else in your life. Think through the things that are going on and maybe do a little historical background or think through the processes that help your. Family running more efficiently. Is that something that could help others? Maybe, maybe not, but I think if you do this homework assignment, which is simple, sit down, go through everything in your life and ask what has made it easier, maybe do a little research on that, but for sure, write it down. Write down the processes in your family that have been passed down, that make things efficient. Do a little research on that. Provide a little historical value. That's the importance of Willis. Say Black History Month or history in general, is the simple fact that we're able to look back on things, admire it. And understand how it's affected our lives

My challenge: become your own innovator

Stoy Hall 2:55

going forward. And I challenge you to do that to your family and yourself because that will allow you to appreciate things a little differently and a little more. And I know that on this, let's get real. We're going to highlight things like this. We're gonna highlight things that can change your life, and I. Ultimately think when we're talking about this inventors that are during Black History Month that are black inventors, and how many things of your life that are like that, maybe just maybe we can attack this racism in our country. The other day, uh, while my in-laws were here, my father-in-law came to me and said, I just didn't know how much racism

The racism reality check nobody wants to talk about

Stoy Hall 3:25

was going on in this world, in this country specifically until this all Trump stuff came out and where we're at with the proud Boys and ICE and all the things happening. He was shocked that there's, that still that much racism going on. Obviously I'm not, and a lot of you listeners are not shocked by the fact that, that there's that much racism still deep within our country, but it's there. And it's funny too because nowadays those racists, if you will, would not be able to live their life without the inventions of black people. And if they were to cut all of that out, a lot of their food would be gone. A lot of their crops and how they're grown would be gone. A lot of deliveries, um, refrigerations. I mean, there's just so much out there that they could not live life in the way they want to. Right? So think about that when you're a racist or think about that when you're out there living of all the great things that come out from just the

Why “protect your base” is the real wealth lesson

Stoy Hall 4:10

black history. So you didn't know of Frederick McKinley. He's not famous, famous. But he should be one of the most famous ones out there because everyday things happen. Not only was he has he done over 60 patents, he was a, obviously a tremendous businessman. 'cause he sold his business for $1 billion in 1997. He taught us the way of being able to create something for others and changed the world that we live in today. So what is a black inventor or creator that you know? That the world should know more about. If you love this episode, any of the other LGR episodes, please like, share, subscribe, and do those amazing things, but also comment, give us the ability to do more of these types of historical ones and or call out more bullshit that you see out there in the world when it pertains to money Sports use sports, historical things like this. We're here for you, so stay tuned for the next episode with another black.