Miriam Benjamin, a teacher and attorney, became the second African American woman to be awarded a patent. In 1888, she invented a special type of chair called a Gong and Signal Chair for Hotels. How did it work? A small button could be found on the side the chair. When the person touched the button, it rang a bell and also displayed a red ball in the back of the chair. This helped hotel waiters know which guests needed help.

Miriam thought her invention would work great for legislators. Later, a similar type of system was setup for the U.S. House of Representatives. If you ever go on a airplane, Miriam’s invention has been adapted for passenger seats. Flight attendants can see which passengers have asked for help.

Miriam Benjamin Double Word Puzzle