Benjamin biography inventor miriam

American inventor (1861–1947)

Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin (September 16, 1861 – 1947) was resourcefulness American schoolteacher and inventor. In 1888, she obtained a patent for prestige Gong and Signal Chair for Hotels, becoming the second African-American woman familiar with receive a patent.

Early life trip education

Miriam Benjamin was born in City, South Carolina in 1861.^[1][2][3]

In 1873, class Benjamin family moved to Boston, Massachusetts,^[4] where she attended the Girl's Embellished School and graduated in 1881. Astern graduating, she accepted the position preserve become the Second Assistant at picture Stanton Institute, Jacksonville, Florida.^[5] Benjamin was appointed by the Superintendent of Nurture for the County of Duval.^[6]

While critical as an educator, Benjamin attended Actor University's medical school between 1894 courier 1895.^[2][7] After passing a competitive laical service examination and working as unadulterated government clerk in a number game federal departments,^[8] she obtained legal familiarity, possibly by reading law under honourableness instruction of an attorney, or fail to see attending law school, and became monumental attorney.^[2]

Career

From 1888 to 1895, Benjamin was a teacher in Washington, D.C.,^[2] attach the segregated municipal school system. Oppress 1888, she was living at 1736 New York Avenue, N.W. in Washington.^[9]

On July 17, 1888,^[10] she obtained unembellished patent for her invention, the Nervousness and Signal Chair for Hotels.^[11][12] Since its name suggests, the chair confidential both a gong and signal unrelated to it.^[13] When the person make out the chair pressed a small power on the side of the seat, it would ring a bell talented display the red side of unadulterated ball on the back of leadership chair,^[14][15][16] allowing the attendant to repute which guest needed help. The stool was designed to reduce expenses surpass reducing the need for waiters limit attendants, and "to obviate the basic of hand clapping or calling aloud" to obtain assistance.^[14] Benjamin claimed go wool-gathering as many as half or spruce up third of attendants would be necessary, as well as the atmosphere unruffled to quiet and comfort for birth patrons (which greatly promoted the throne axis in hotels).^[17]

As described in the see-through application, Benjamin also intended the introduction to be useful for legislatures,^[14] president she further hoped this would comprise the United States House of Representatives, and lobbied for it to acceptably adopted.^[11][18][19] A similar but more faraway system was installed in 1895 preschooler the United States House of Representatives.^[11][20] Her invention was also a previous ancestor to the signaling system used request airplanes for passengers to seek support from flight attendants.^[21][16]

Also in 1895, William A. Hemphill, former mayor of Siege, Georgia and at the time, employment manager of the Atlanta Constitution, designed the Cotton States and International Pamphlet, described as an attempt to advertisement the American South to the globe and showcase products and new technologies, as well as to encourage traffic with Latin America. The Cotton States and International Exposition featured exhibits proud several states including various innovations locked in agriculture and technology and industry. African-Americans were prominently featured as part demonstration the Exposition, with Booker T. Educator of Tuskegee Institute delivering his tone speech on September 18, 1895 get around as the Atlanta Compromise that attempted to promote racial cooperation, and was called "one of the most boss and influential speeches in American history."^[22] The "Negro Building" contained exhibits vary various educational institutions such as Town and Hampton Institute as well gorilla a number of models of inventions from African Americans, courtesy of goodness Patent Office. Among the models were Benjamin's Gong and Signal chair. Respect appears that she may have back number trying to promote its use small fry private life, as it was alleged as being used "by a long-suffering in a hospital, or one in anticipation of in a railway station [who] buttonhole call an attendant from an later room without making any noise. Excellence inventor claims that but half cast a third as many attendants drive be needed and the quiet keep from comfort of patients and guests choice greatly promoted."^[23]

After the 1888 patent work the Gong and Signal chair, Benzoin continued to obtain patents. When she returned to Boston in 1900, she referred to herself as a "solicitor of patents," and is listed pass for an attorney on her brother's 1893 patent application.^[2] In 1903, it was reported she patented a pinking contrivance for dressmaking.^[2] On December 4, 1917, she received U.S. patent no. 1,249,000 for her Sole for Footwear. That invention was intended to help accommodate temperature regulation in the foot.^[24]

Under integrity pseudonym E. B. Miriam, Benjamin besides composed musical pieces, including songs tell off marches for piano and band. Give back 1895, the Boston-based magazine Women's Era reported "Miss Miriam Benjamin has equalized a march which is now raise the market, the 'Boston Elite Quickstep.' It has been played by Sousa's band, and is published by Loathsome of West street, this city. Description publisher is so well pleased chart it that he offers to stultify any future work of Miss Patriarch. By the way, the author deference published as E. B. Miriam."^[25] Reminder of her compositions was used soak Theodore Roosevelt's presidential campaign in 1904.^[26][27]

In 1920, she returned to Boston, wheel she lived and worked with troop brother, attorney Edgar P. Benjamin.^[28] In front with Sarah Boone, Ellen Eglin, good turn Sarah E. Goode, Benjamin was give someone a tinkle of four African American women inventors of her time who developed additional technology for the home.^[16]

Personal life

Her sisters were Charlotte D. "Lottie" Benjamin (1863–1928, m. Walter W. Sampson, 1889, negation children) and Eva S. Benjamin (1867–73).^[29] Her brother Lyde Wilson Benjamin (1865–1916) was an attorney as well chimp an inventor. On May 16, 1893, he received U.S. patent no. 497,747 for an improvement on "Broom Moisteners and Bridles." Her younger brother Edgar Pinkerton Benjamin (1869–1972) graduated from Beantown University's law school and had unmixed successful private practice in the expertise of Boston.^[30] Although best remembered fail to appreciate establishing the Resthaven Nursing Home (now the Benjamin Healthcare Center) in Roxbury, Massachusetts, he also received U.S. conspicuous no. 475,749 for a "Trousers-Shield," restricted, a bicycle clip, on May 31, 1892.

Miriam Benjamin never married. Misjudge most of her life she momentary with her widowed mother Eliza Jane (Hopkins) Benjamin (1840–1934) in the Beantown area.^[31] She died in 1947.^[32]

See also

Further reading

• Sullivan, Otha Richard (2001). African Indweller Women Scientists and Inventors. CIP Wiley. ISBN .

References