Say thank you to a black woman for your aisle seat| Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin

Girl, did you know that a Black woman paved the way for the Airplane Chair? 

Born free in Charleston, SC, on September 16, 1861, Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin made history as the second African-American woman to receive a U.S. patent in 1888 for her innovative Gong and Signal Chair.

Miriam, the oldest of five children, moved to Boston in the early 1870s for better education opportunities. A trailblazer, she worked as a federal government clerk, teacher, and later pursued a law degree at Howard University after teaching in Washington DC public schools.

On July 17, 1888, Miriam patented her "gong and signal chair for hotels." This revolutionary chair featured a button that, when pressed, activated a bell, light, and flag to signal servers. She envisioned it as a more efficient and quieter way to request assistance in hotels.

Although her invention didn't become the signal system for the U.S. House of Representatives, the concept laid the foundation for current methods to call flight attendants on airplanes and summon nurses in hospitals.

Miriam, who used the pseudonym E.B. Miriam, patented several other inventions, including a medicinal shoe sole and dressmaking shears. A multi-talented individual, she also composed musical pieces, one of which was used in Theodore Roosevelt's presidential campaign in 1904.

Returning to Boston in 1920, Miriam collaborated with her brother, Edgar P Benjamin, an attorney and inventor. Despite not marrying, she left an enduring legacy and continued her impactful work until her passing in 1947.

We love you Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin for your ife, inventions, and lasting contributions. #BlackInventors #HERstory