On this date in 1888, Miriam E. Benjamin, an African American school teacher, was granted a Patent number 386,289 for her invention, which was a “gong and signal chair.” This invention was designed to be used in public spaces, such as theaters, to help summon an usher or signal a need for assistance. The device was a chair with a gong that could be activated by a button or mechanism, making it easier for people to get attention when needed.
Miriam Benjamin’s patent made her one of the first African American women to receive a patent for an invention. Her work was significant in terms of innovation and in breaking barriers for women inventors, particularly African American women, during that time.
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