Related History - Women Inventors - Black Inventors

Miriam Benjamin was a Washington D.C. school teacher and the second black woman to receive a patent. Miriam Benjamin received a patent for an invention she called a Gong and Signal Chair for Hotels. Her invention allowed hotel customer 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. Below you can view the actual patent issued to Miriam Benjamin on July 17, 1888.

To view the accompanying patent text of the above patent - Text For The Miriam Benjamin Patent