Black inventor Henry Faulkner truly deserves all the commendation for bringing comfort and healthy feet to the world.
Before his invention of the ventilated shoe in 1890, people were constantly complaining about foot problems caused by lack of ventilation inside shoes.
Unlike modern shoes, early shoes were made of leather, hard rubber and even wood.
Their main purpose was to keep the feet dry and hence no provision was made to cater for the comfort of the user.
The shoes also had some sort of heels that were vacuum sealed with no ventilation.
Many, therefore, lamented about getting blisters and sores on their feet, while others complained of excessive sweating and aching.
The ventilated shoe
Faulkner came up with a method to put an end to these problems.
He placed holes in specific locations within the shoe and featured a raised arch for enhanced circulation and comfort.
Faulkner patented the ventilated shoe on April 29, 1890, bringing relief to many shoe users around the world today.
