Chocolate Rose
Inventor Invention U.S. Patent Number Date Issued
Judy W. Reed Improvement in dough kneader & roller No patent September 20,1884
Sarah E. Goode Folding Cabinet Bed 322,117 July 14, 1885
Miriam E. Benjamin Patented a gong and signal chair for motels 386,289 July 17, 1888
(School teacher)
Anna M. Mangin Patent for a pastry fork 470,005 March 1, 1892
(Woodside, New York)
Archia L. Ross Runner for Stoops. 565,301 August 4, 1896
(New York, NY) Offical Gazette of the U.S. Patent Office. vol.77.
Trousers Support 638,068 November 28, 1899
Julia Terry Hammonds Apparatus for holding yarn skeins 572,985 December 15,1896
(Lebanon, Illinois) Listed in the Offical Gazette of the
U.S. Patent Office. vol.77 p. 1617.
Lyda A. Newman Patent for a hair brush which permitted 614,335 November 15, 1898
(New York City, NY) easy cleaning by having a detachable unit
which carried the brush and bristles
Ellen Elgin Clothes wringer 1880s
Madeline Turner Patent for a fruit press 1,180,959 April 25, 1916
(Oakland, California)
Alice H. Parker Issued a patent for a heating furnace. 1,325,905 December 19,1919
(Morristown, NJ) The invention provided a mechanism for
regulating heat to be carried to various
rooms of a building.
Mary J. Reynolds Hoisting/loading mechanism Apr.20,1920
M. Thomas Float-operated circuit closer May 4,1920
Marjorie Joyner Patent for a permanent wave machine 1,693,515 November 27,1928
(Chicago, Illinois) which could wave the hair of both
white and Black people.
Henrietta Mahim Bradberry Patented a bed rack which was an attachment 2,320,027 May 25, 1943
(Chicago, Illinois) to the bed that permitted air to pass through
and re-freshen worn clothes.
A torpedo discharge means - a device 2,390,688 December 11,1945
operated pneumatically and was adapted to
discharge torpedoes under the water surface
while located in submarines or in
subterranean forts. It had three gears, giving
the capability of firing multiple torpedoes
rather than the standard single charge.
Bessie V. Griffin Portable receptable 2,550,554 April 25, 1951
(New Jersey)
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner Sanitary Belt. 2,881,761 May 15, 1956
(Washington, D.C.) Sanitary Belt with 2,881,761 April 14, 1959
(born in Charlotte, North Carolina) Moistureproof Napkin Pocket.
Carrier attachment for invalid walkers. 3,957,071 May 18, 1976
(McLean, Virginia)
Bathroom Tissue Holder. 4,354,643 October 19, 1982
(Williamsburg, Virgina)
Back washer mounted on a shower wall 4,696,068 September 29, 1987
and bathtub.
Iula O. Carter Nursery Chair 2,923,950 February 9, 1960
(Ohio)
Marie V.Brittan Brown Home security system December 2,1969
Virgie M. Ammons Fireplace damper actuating tool. 3,908,633 September 30, 1975
Joan Clark Holder for bras & like Aug.31,1976
Los Angeles, CA Medicine tray D283,249 Apr.1,1986
Beatrice L. Cowans Embroidered fruit bowl wall hanging 4,016,314 Apr.5,1977
(Washington, DC) and kit for making same.
Virginia E. Hall
(Washington, DC)
Mary Ann Moore Pain relief composition and 4,177,266 December 4, 1979
(Carlisle, Kentucky) method of preparing same
Valerie Thomas Illusion transmitter 4,229,761 October 21, 1980
(Lanham, MD)
Mildred Austin Smith Family relationships card game 4,230,321 October 28, 1980
(Sister of Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner) A game that explores geneological
family relationships.
Maxine Snowden Rain Hat 4,378,606 April 5, 1983
(Washington, D.C.)
Ruane Sharon Jeter Toaster D289,249 April 14,1987
(Los Angeles, CA)
Patricia Bath, M.D. Method and apparatus for ablating 4,744,360 May 17,1988
Los Angeles, CA and removing cataract
Apparatus for Ablating and
Removing Cataract Lenses
Laser apparatus for surgery 5,843,071 December 1,1998
of cataractous lenses 5,919,186 July 6, 1999
Carol Randall Ear brace 4,971,072 November20,1990
(Los Angeles, CA) Portable holder for tissues 5,544,750 August 13,1996
Natalie R. Love T-Top roof cover 5,110,178 May 5,1992
(Baltimore, MD)
Joanna Hardin Keyboard stand 5,188,321 February 23,1993
(New York, NY)
Bernard Hirschenson
(New York, NY)
Brothella Quick Pocketed underwear D341,470 November 23,1993
(Evanston, IL)
Ruane Sharon Jeter Hand-held, multi-functional devices in one D383,783 September 16, 1997
(Los Angeles, CA) housing including a stapler, staple remover,
Sheila Lynn Jeter pencil sharpener, hole punch, calculator,
(Los Angeles, CA) tape measure, architectural
and engineering scale.
Gaba; Rodolfo Cabinet for housing a medical waste container D411,008 Jun. 15, 1999
(Simi Valley, CA);
Griffin; Michael
(Agua Dulce, CA);
Gusakov; Ignaty
(East Aurora, NY);
Ruane Sharon Jeter
(Los Angeles, CA);
Marsh; Gordon H.
(West Hills, CA)
Gaba; Rodolfo Container installing system 5,918,762 Jul. 6, 1999
(Simi Valley, CA);
Griffin; Michael
(Agua Dulce, CA);
Gusakov; Ignaty
(East Aurora, NY);
Ruane Sharon Jeter
(Los Angeles, CA);
Marsh; Gordon H.
(West Hills, CA)
Gaba; Rodolfo Medical waste disposal container 5,947,285 Sept. 7, 1999 (Simi Valley, CA);
Griffin; Michael
(Aqua Dulce, CA);
Gusakov; Ignaty
(East Aurora, NY);
Ruane Sharon Jeter
(Los Angeles, CA);
Mach; Brian
(Elma, NY);
Marsh; Gordon H.
(West Hills, CA).
Theora Stephens 
Pressing/curling iron
Pressing/curling iron1885 First patent issued to an Afro-American woman
Marjorie Joyner was employed by the Madame C.J. Walker Cosmetic Company and assigned her patent rights to that company for a hair styling hot comb (erroneously cited as invented by Walker). Madame C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove, invented hair creams to soften the hair. She also developed other lotions and creams for which she acquired trademarks.
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner is the most prolific Black woman inventor to date
Marketed under the names "Family Relationships Card Game" and trademarked as Family Treedition, also available in braille.
The instrument opens and closes a firplace damper and is also intended to operate as a securing means to prevent fluttering of the damper due to wind.
African American Women Inventors
