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Edison, Chapter 1
Clip: Season 27 Episode 3 | 9m 22s
Before he was a legendary inventor, Thomas Edison was a telegraph operator.
By the 1920s, Thomas Edison was a prolific inventor and quite possibly the most famous man in the world. But before he invented the phonograph, the lightbulb or the kinetoscope, he was a young boy working as a telegraph operator. He soon began tinkering with the telegraphic equipment and experimenting with his own improvements. "Edison" premieres January 27 on American Experience PBS.
Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
![American Experience](https://image.pbs.org/contentchannels/zoZJOtC-white-logo-41-2rEQNrf.png?format=webp&resize=200x)
Edison, Chapter 1
Clip: Season 27 Episode 3 | 9m 22s
By the 1920s, Thomas Edison was a prolific inventor and quite possibly the most famous man in the world. But before he invented the phonograph, the lightbulb or the kinetoscope, he was a young boy working as a telegraph operator. He soon began tinkering with the telegraphic equipment and experimenting with his own improvements. "Edison" premieres January 27 on American Experience PBS.
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When is a photo an act of resistance?
For families that just decades earlier were torn apart by chattel slavery, being photographed together was proof of their resilience.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipIn 1922, a film crew came to West Orange, NJ to document Thomas Edison's typical day. (15m 52s)
Beyond the Doc: Edison's Inventions
Go Beyond the Doc to learn about Thomas Edison's lesser-known inventions. (2m 40s)
Thomas Edison saw competition as an essential part of invention. Premiering Jan. 27 on PBS (3m 4s)
Edison unveiled his electric light on New Year's Eve 1879. Premiering Jan. 27 on PBS. (2m 27s)
Edison and team work to electrify Lower Manhattan in 1881. Premiering Jan. 27 on PBS. (2m 59s)
Edison's kinetoscope was a novelty not to be missed. Premiering Jan. 27 on PBS. (3m 32s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipCorporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.