Thomas Alva Edison quotes
1847 – 1931 · Late 19th – early 20th century · Inventor, entrepreneur and industrial researcher
About Thomas Alva Edison
Born in Ohio in 1847 and died in New Jersey in 1931, Edison led industrial laboratories and championed a practical, experimental approach to invention—emphasizing persistent work and disciplined trial-and-error during the age of electrification and communications.
Quotes
“Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
Source: Harper's Monthly, September 1932; letter by Edison, 1927 · Check the source
Verified attributionWhat we know
- What is documented
- Edison explicitly affirmed the saying in a 1927 letter and the Harper's Monthly article of September 1932 printed and approved his formulation.
- What remains uncertain
- Although Edison is the primary source for the famous 1%/99% phrasing, earlier variants and contributions from others helped shape the exact wording.
The line sums up Edison’s conviction that invention is built mainly on steady, methodical work rather than sudden insight. It reflects his lab practice of trial-and-error and disciplined repetition. The familiar 1%/99% wording became fixed through his public remarks and later publications.