Welcome

This site was created by Nicholl McGuire, Inspirational Speaker and Author. Feel free to comment, share links and subscribe. If you have a business or would like to guest post feel free to contact. Check out topics on this blog and select what interests you. They are found at the bottom of this page. Peace and Love.

Tuesday

Famous African American Women Inventors

Science is generally viewed as a men's world. Females are rarely found tinkering around the laboratory or handling mechanical devices, much less inventing one and having it patented under their name. Patents are the proof of "ownership" of an invention and only the inventor(s) can apply for a patent. In the past, women were not allowed equal rights of property ownership (patents are a form of intellectual property) and many women patented their inventions under their husband's or father's names. In the past, women were also prevented from receiving the higher education necessary for inventing. Today, however, hundreds of thousands of women apply for and receive a patent every year. About 20% of all inventors are currently female and that number should quickly rise to 50% over the next generation.

Among these women inventors from the past to the present, there are African American women inventors. Their number, however, can not be exactly determined. According to EnchantedLearning.com, Sarah S. Goode was the first African American woman to have received a patent in 1885 (patent #322,177, approved on July 14, 1885). She invented the folding cabinet bed, a space-saver that folded up against the wall into a cabinet. When folded up, it could be used as a desk, complete with compartments for stationery and writing supplies. Goode owned a furniture store in Chicago, Illinois, and invented the bed for people living in small apartments.

The second African American woman to receive a patent was Miriam Benjamin who was a Washington D.C. school teacher. She received a patent in July 17, 1888 for an invention she called a "Gong and Signal Chair for Hotels". Her invention allowed hotel customers to summon a waiter from the comfort of their chair. A button on the chair would buzz the waiters' station and a light on the chair would let the wait staff know who wanted service. Miriam Benjamin's invention was adapted and used in the United States House of Representatives.

On April 26, 1892, Sarah Boone's received a patent (U.S. Patent #473,653) for an improvement to the ironing board. Sarah Boone's ironing board was designed to be effective in ironing the sleeves and bodies of ladies' garments. Sarah Boone's board was very narrow and curved, the size and fit of a sleeve, and it was reversible, making it easy to iron both sides of a sleeve.

Perhaps the most famous African American woman inventor of all time is Madame C. J. Walker (December 23, 1867 - May 25, 1919). She was an inventor, businesswoman and self-made millionaire. Born Sarah Breedlove McWilliams C. J. Walker, she was an African-American who developed many beauty and hair care products that were extremely popular. Madame Walker started her cosmetics business in 1905. Her first product was a scalp treatment that used petroleum and a hot comb. Sarah later invented a system for straightening hair. She added Madame to her name and began selling her new "Walker System" door-to-door. Walker soon added a hair-growing ointment and other cosmetic products to her line. The products were very successful and she soon had many saleswomen, called "Walker Agents," who sold her products door to door.

Many of these women grew up in a time when females and colored people were discriminated against. Their social status may have prevented them from getting an education but this did not stop them from exploring their world and finding ingenious solutions to everyday problems. Their innate intelligence and determination had brought them their personal triumph over adversity. Their inventions may not have survived into the 21st century and yet their pioneering spirit will live on in the present generation of women working in the fields of science and technology.

About the Author
Claire Bretana is the technical webmaster of http://www.goafrican.com/, a site created for African American culture, history, lifestyle, and relationships with links to online products and other African American websites.
at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Search This Blog

Labels

a abortion about us absent fathers abuse abusive men abusive women adopted black children affirmative action africa african american african american achievers african american art african american audio books african american authors african american beauty african american bloggers african american books african american bookstores african american brothers african american business african american celebrities african american children african american chinese african american christian women african american christians african american churches african american clothing styles african american communities african american community african american cuisine african american culture african american dating african american dating sites african american deceivers african american dining african american documentaries african american drama african american drug dealers african american education african american elite african american entertainment african american family african american fathers african american friendships african american gamers african american genealogy african american gifts african american girls african american gods african american grandparents african american grants african american hair loss african american haircare african american hairstyles african american health issues african american heritage african american heterosexuality african american history african american holidays african american home owners african american homosexuality african american idols african american inventors african american korea african american lawyers african american leaders african american lifestyle african american magazines african american marriages african american media african american men african american mental illness african american ministers african american models african american mothers african american movies african american museums african american music african american music videos african american natural hair african american news african american occult african american online surfing african american opinion african american paintings African American parade african american parents african american photographers african american photography african american poets african american police officers african american political prisoners african american preachers African American producers african american prostitution african american radio shows african american relationships african american religion african american researchers african american russia african american samoan african american scholarships african american self-hate african american sex african american singles african american skin care african american skincare african american soldiers african american sons african american speakers african american spirituality african american statistics african american studies african american television networks african american thinking african american thoughts african american tips african american toys african american transhumanists african american travel african american voters african american wealth african american weaves african american wigs african american women african american women groups African American women in science african american women inventors african american workers african american writers african americans african americans and africans african americans jail african americans respect african americans workers african americans workplace african art african consciousness african decor african food african history ai tools american holidays ancestry anger management angry angry black man angry black woman angry black women angry blacks atlanta aunt tammy banks Barack Obama be encouraged bible big girls biracial people birth control bisexual black men black alliance for just immigration black american ignorance black american quotations black american racism black art websites black athletes black attitudes black business black celebrities black celebrity children black celebrity masons black cinema black conscious community black conscious women black dating services black dolls black education black elite groups black English people black family black feminists black grandmothers black greek organizations black history black history month black inventors black love black men black men and white women black music black national anthem black nationalism black panthers party black people and summer time black people attitude black preachers black racists black radio stations black scholars black singles black sitcoms black skin black stereotypes black toys black women blacks with an attitude blessings and curses blog owner boule boxer brainwashed blacks celebrities and god cheating childhood childless women children activities chris brown chris rock christina milian civil rights civil war cold-blooded african americans colorism communication communication skills community assistance confrontation construction in haiti constructive criticism contract with black america controlling black folks controlling men controlling women counselors crazy blacks crisis dark skin dating dating violence death deceased black legends depression difficult people disorders diversity domestic violence down low celebrities dreaming eastern stars economics educated blacks education elderly black folks employment entrepreneur eugenics exes experiences faith family history family issues family secrets fat african americans fearful blacks fema camps financial assistance first black president food stamps fools fraternal organizations free stuff freemasons french african friendships funeral planning funny african americans funny black man funny black people funny black woman funny stuff gay black men generational curses ghetto gifted african americans going green good black men gospel music gossip government Haiti haiti earthquake haiti fault line happiness harlem haters helpful links hidden medical experiments high blood pressure highly sensitive blacks hip hop culture hip hop fashion homosexuals honest black folk housing assistance how to approach a black woman how to get exposure on this site human trafficking hurricane relief ignorant black people illuminati insecure women inspiration internet dating interracial relationships israel jaguar wright jamaicans jealous men jealous women jealousy jobs juneteenth keep it real kwanzaa laboring to love an abusive mate liars light skin lottery loud mouth blacks love lust lynching make money manhood manipulative media manmade earthquakes martin luther king barack obama medicine memorial day menopause mental issues michael jackson michael jackson children mother michelle obama mike tyson mike tyson daughter military mind control minority women scholarships misogyny modern day slavery money moors motivation multiracial celebrities music lyrics music videos narcissism natural disasters negro spirituals nelson mandela nicole richie nonblack not african american Obama obama campaign Obama sworn in obese black people offended blacks old school overweight african americans paranoid paranormal passing for white patience patti labelle paula abdul peace pedophilia perimenopause poems police poor african americans population control positivity post traumatic slave syndrome postpartum depression poverty prayers prejudice prescriptions president barack obama president elect barack obama prideful prostate cancer and black men protests racial problems racism racist republicans rappers rb music groups reality shows recycling reggae music relationships relatives religion revenge reverse discrimination rhianna rich african americans samples and trials SARS scammers scams scandalous pastors scary blacks schizophrenia secret societies self esteem self hate self righteous senator barack obama sex sexual harassment shopping siblings skin bleaching skull and bones slavery social issues social networking society sociopaths sometimey black folks soul food spiritual african americans spiritual warfare sports state of the union address strange black folks stubbornness superstition surveys terri seymore the man threats tired black man tired black woman toxic parents travel trends twitter uncle tom unemotional unemployment ungrateful black folks voter privacy war whistleblowers white american racism white people wisdom women friends work at home youtubers
Creative Commons License
African American Planet: Relationships, Education, Products & Lifestyle by Nicholl McGuire is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at africanamericanplanet.blogspot.com.

Translate