Sarah Boone

Sarah Boone was an African-American inventor. On April 26, 1892, she obtained United States patent number 473,563 for her improvements to the ironing board. Boone’s ironing board was designed to improve the quality of ironing the sleeves and bodies of women’s garments. Sarah an African American dressmaker who made her name by inventing the modern-day ironing board. In her patent application, she wrote that the purpose of her invention 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.” With its approval in 1892, Boone became one of the first African American women to be awarded a patent. Boone is regarded as the second African-American woman to attain a patent.