Today's fact is about Sarah Boone.

Sarah Boone was born as Sarah Marshall in Craven County, N.C. in February of 1832. She herself was a former slave but would become known as an African American inventor. In her time being a female African American inventor was incredibly rare. She was one of only four African American female inventors who developed new technology for the home, which makes her that more special and unique.

On April 26, 1892, Boone was awarded the United States patent rights to the ironing board. In her patent application, she wrote that the purpose of the improvements she made to the ironing board was "to produce a cheap, simple, convenient and highly effective device, particularly adapted to be used in ironing the sleeves and bodies of ladies' garments."

Before her invention, most people ironed their clothes using a board of wood rested across a pair of chairs or tables. Boone's ironing board as much more narrow, curved but still made of wood. It would fit a sleeve so that one could iron both sides of a sleeve.

Sarah Boone died in 1904 and in New Haven where she is buried in a family plot in Evergreen Cemetary.

and THAT is B Mo's Black History Month Fact of The Day!

 

More From WFHN-FM/FUN 107