On July 14, 1885, Sarah E. Goode, By Most Accounts, Became The First Black American Woman To BeGranted A Patent By The U.S. Patent And Trademark Office (Patent #322,17), For Her Invention, The Cabinet Bed.
Born into slavery in 1850, She Was Freed At The End Of The Civil War And moved to Chicago, Where She Became An Entrepreneur.
As Owner Of A Furniture Store, Goode Noticed That City Apartment Dwellers Often Had Limited Space For Beds. She Created The Design For What We Know Today As The "Hideaway" Bed. She Described The Design As "A Folding Bed"Whose Hinged Sections Were Easily Raised Or Lowered.
Goode's Bed Was Fully Functional And It Was Complete With Mattress And Spring Support. When Not In Use As A bed, Goode's Invention Doubled As A Roll-top Desk And Stationery Shelf.
Sarah Goode Died January 25, 1909, At Age 59.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." - Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
The BLACK IN TIME ONLINE RESOURCE CENTER FOR BLACK HISTORY & CULTURE
