National Inventors’ Day is on Thursday, February 11, 2027, and it falls on February 11 every year. It honors the people whose ideas became new machines, medicines and everyday tools. The date is Thomas Edison’s birthday.
When Is National Inventors’ Day?
It’s always February 11, the day Edison was born in 1847. It’s a national observance, not a federal holiday, so schools and offices stay open. Many schools use it for science and maker activities.
Who Created National Inventors’ Day?
Congress created it in 1983 through Senate Joint Resolution 140, which became Public Law 97-198. President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5013 on January 12, 1983, naming February 11 that year as the first National Inventors’ Day.
His proclamation called inventors “the keystone of the technological progress” the country depends on. It also credited the patent system with rewarding the individual effort behind new industries.
Why February 11? Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. The National Park Service says he earned 1,093 U.S. patents.
His best-known work includes the electric light system, the phonograph and motion pictures. He also patented a stock ticker and an alkaline storage battery. He worked from labs in Newark, Menlo Park and West Orange, New Jersey.
What Is the Purpose of Inventors’ Day?
To recognize inventors and encourage new ones. The day highlights how patents turn ideas into products, and it gives teachers a hook for hands-on science.
Inventors worth knowing about
Mary Dixon Kies was the first woman to receive a U.S. patent in her own name. Her May 5, 1809, patent covered a way to weave straw with silk or thread for hats. President James Madison signed it.
Edison joined the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1973. The Hall’s site lets you browse inductees by name, invention or year, a good start for school projects.
How to Celebrate National Inventors’ Day
- Take something apart: open an old flashlight, remote or wind-up toy with a screwdriver and see how it works.
- Search old patents: look up Edison’s 1880 electric lamp, U.S. Patent No. 223,898, in Google Patents.
- Visit Edison’s lab: Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, New Jersey, is open to visitors.
- Run a cardboard challenge: give kids a box, tape and 30 minutes to build something that solves a household problem.
- Thank an inventor you use: pick one item you used today and find out who invented it.
- Keep an idea notebook: jot down everyday annoyances; many inventions start as a fix for one.
Can You Patent an Idea?
No, not on its own. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says you can’t patent just an idea, or abstract ideas and laws of nature. You need a new, useful process, machine, product or composition.
A utility patent lasts up to 20 years from the filing date. Design patents, which protect how something looks, last 15 years from the date they’re granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an inventors’ day for kids?
Yes. National Kid Inventors’ Day is on January 17, Benjamin Franklin’s birthday. It focuses on young inventors.
Who received the first U.S. patent?
Samuel Hopkins of Vermont, on July 31, 1790. It covered a process for making potash, used in fertilizer, and President George Washington signed it.
How many patents did Edison hold?
The National Park Service says Edison earned 1,093 U.S. patents, one of the largest totals for any American inventor.
Sources
- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library – Proclamation 5013, National Inventors’ Day, 1983
- National Park Service – Thomas Edison National Historical Park (Kids & Youth)
- National Inventors Hall of Fame – Thomas Alva Edison
- National Inventors Hall of Fame – Mary Dixon Kies
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office – Patent Essentials
- GovInfo – Anniversary of the First U.S. Patent