Meet the man who invented the Super Soaker

The Super Soaker was a game changer when came to squirt guns and summer fun. And you have Lonnie Johnson to thank for it.The man behind one of the most popular toys of all time is an engineer who has worked for Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Air Force, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

[awesomeguy]

This is the type of person that should get more recognition

[DarKKnightt]

The super soaker was a big part of my life and responsible for countless hours of fun as a kid. God bless this man may he live forever.

[DemomanX]

He deserves a day named after him.

Summer in the 90s wouldn't have been as cool without him.

[theylied]

He's only telling half the story, because the company that produced Super Soaker and Nerf both tried to screw him out of his money. He took them to court and they both ended up regretting trying to screw him out of his royalties and Licensing fees.

[uryic]

Literally Heard Dr. Johnson speak at the local college last night. said everything he said here and lots more. about an hour lecture then he took questions from the audience. As a black man I felt nothing but pride listening to him. it was as though I was sitting in the presence of this generations George Washington Carver, Or even Alexander Graham Bell. Brilliant man.

[kobaltrednovemberdelta]

This man should be treated like a god for his invention.

[eclipsetoys]

I worked on the early Super Soakers from the 150-through another at least 2-25 models. I made the prototypes and worked with Lonnie for my last year in that project. A fun project. Lonnie was always a pretty quiet guy but in the way where you knew if he was looking at you he had already figured everything about you. I would think, when I walked behind him I could see ideas falling from his head and landing on the floor. He even was a candidate in the Astronaut program and did work on the Galileo Saturn probe, toys was just his. At any rate it was nice to work with a guy who through the years was akin to Captain Kirk!!!! cool guy

[erickruckenberg]

Can we just acknowledge everything we have because of this man? How many times we played with this invention, how many movies had a dumb funny scene that made your sides hurt. Even airsoft and paintball was affected by his airpressure tank designs! This man's invention has created massive subcultures with just one endeavor and its inspirational

[JeremyMPearce]

He is awesome! Could you imagine him being your dad! He’d be the coolest dad on the block by far!

[LOLO-jjby]

Thanks Dr Lonnie Johnson FOR ALL YOUR INTELLECT AND INVENTIONS

[MrBlackdragon]

That man was my childhood hero then since i had so many nerf dart guns and super soakers.

[ianchristophersaga]

Thank you for making my childhood great!

[celeste]

Salute to this man for making my childhood better!!!

[kalelsuperman]

i had 2 or three of those super soakers i had a lot of fun back then, so i finally know who invented this awesome toy he needs more recognition....thank you sir....thank God for him

[njones]

i remember the summer the first supersoaker 50 came out..I was 10 years old :) it was an awesome long hot summer, and almost every kid I knew had one of these. They all broke within 12 months, and we all bought the bigger models the next year.

[asperbergers]

A battery without a liquid electrolyte?! My grandfather has a patent for a battery, but what Lonnie is researching is world changing.

[DuluthTW]

This is such a great story made even better by learning that he reinvested his earnings into renewable energy products. I bought Super Soakers for my nephews when they were kids. Thanks for sharing!

[briang]

Holy shit, Lon the Legend. As a proud former Super Soaker 100 owner in my childhood, this is the first time I've heard Lonnie's story, and I must say, I'm already feeling a parasocial relationship coming on. Jokes aside, Lon is an inspiration.

[rolandsalas]

Best water gun ever! Thank you Mr. Johnson.

[WaddleYT]

I read about this guy in a SAT Writing passage xD