Lewis Howard Latimer (1848-1928) was an African American inventor, son of an escaped, formerly enslaved couple, and self-taught poet and painter. His historic Victorian home in Flushing, New York, is now a local landmark and museum, operated by Lewis H. Latimer Fund, Inc. The museum’s mission is to call attention to Latimer and other minorities' contributions to American life through multilingual tours, permanent and special exhibitions, literature series, community events, and STEAM educational programs. Latimer’s life story is used as a point of departure from which to examine issues of race, class, immigration, and contemporary events.