As a child, Lonnie Johnson had few store-bought toys. He was born in Mobile in 1949 and his parents worked hard to afford food, shelter and clothing for their six children.

But Lonnie, the third born, was a curious child taught by his grandfather to "tinker," according to an article in The Washington Post. He would overcome poverty and the disadvantages he faced during segregation to obtain an engineering degree at the famed Tuskegee Institute and become a NASA engineer.

It was his work at NASA that led to the invention of a toy - the Super Soaker - that would make Johnson wealthy enough to form his own company, Johnson Research and Development, where he works on more serious projects such as better solar power and rechargeable batteries.

Some facts about Johnson and the Super Soaker: