Sarah E. Goode facts for kids

Sarah Elisabeth Goode (born in 1855 – died April 8, 1905) was an American inventor and business owner. She was one of the first African-American women to receive a patent in the United States. She got her patent in 1885 for a special folding bed. The first known African-American woman to receive a patent was Judy W. Reed in 1884.

About Sarah E. Goode

This drawing shows the folding bed cabinet that Sarah E. Goode invented.

Sarah Elisabeth Jacobs was born in 1855 in Toledo, Ohio. This was the same year a law called the Fugitive Slave Act was passed. Sarah was one of seven children. Her parents, Oliver and Harriet Jacobs, were carpenters. Sarah did not go to a formal school. Instead, she learned a trade from her father.

After the Civil War ended, her family moved to Chicago, Illinois. There, Sarah met and married Archibald "Archie" Goode. Archie was a stair builder and an upholsterer. Sarah and Archie had six children, but only three lived to be adults. Sarah decided to open her own furniture store.

Her Amazing Invention

Sarah Goode invented a special folding cabinet bed. This invention helped people who lived in small homes. It allowed them to use their limited space much better. At that time, buildings in New York City were growing taller. However, a law in 1885 stopped buildings from being taller than 80 feet. This was to prevent commercial buildings from getting too high.

Many apartment buildings were very narrow, about 25 feet by 100 feet. Every bit of space was important in these homes. Saving space was a big need for families. Sarah heard about this problem from her furniture store customers in Chicago. She decided to create a solution.

Sarah Goode's bed could be folded up. When folded, it looked like a desk and had space for storage. She received a patent for her invention on July 14, 1885. The patent number was #322,177. Her invention was an early version of the Murphy bed, which was patented later in 1900.

Her goal was to make the bed easy to lift and fold. She wanted it to stay in place when folded or unfolded. She also added extra support to the middle of the bed when it was open. Sarah Goode passed away on April 8, 1905.

The Folding Bed Patent

Some articles say Sarah E. Goode was the first African American woman to get a U.S. patent. Other articles say the first was Judy Reed. Judy Reed invented a dough-kneading machine. Miriam Benjamin invented a hotel chair that could signal for waiter service.

Sarah's patent was for a folding bed. This bed became an early design for the Murphy Bed. It was a cabinet bed that folded into a roll-top desk. The desk also had small sections for writing supplies and paper.

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  This image shows another view of the cabinet bed patent.

Her Lasting Legacy

In 2012, a high school was opened in Sarah Goode's honor. It is called the Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. This school is located on the south side of Chicago. It is part of the Chicago Public Schools.

The school helps students get ready for future jobs. It focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math. The school works with companies like IBM. Students are encouraged to earn special industry certificates. They can also get two years of college credit before they graduate. Students at the academy also get professional mentors and internships.

See also

In Spanish: Sarah E. Goode para niños