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By Sarah Boone (née Marshall)
Born into slavery in North Carolina, Sarah Boone gained her freedom and migrated to Connecticut prior to the Civil War, likely utilizing the Underground Railroad network. Settling in New Haven, she worked as a dressmaker. To face competition and the fashion demands of the era (notably corsets and fitted sleeves), she had to invent a tool that did not yet exist to perfect her garments.
On April 26, 1892, she was awarded U.S. Patent No. 473,653. Her invention radically improved upon the rudimentary wooden planks used previously. Her board was narrow, curved, and padded, specifically designed to fit into sleeves and follow the contours of ladies' garments. It featured a support system that allowed the user to flip the garment to iron both sides of a sleeve without creating new wrinkles. Additionally, it was collapsible for easy storage.
Sarah Boone's impact is visible in every modern home. Although earlier ironing board models existed, Boone's design is recognized as the direct prototype for the contemporary ironing board. She proved that a "simple and practical" solution could meet complex industrial and domestic needs, all while overcoming the obstacle of illiteracy, which she only conquered in her late 40s.
Sarah Boone is celebrated as a pioneer, being the second African American woman to hold a patent (following Judy W. Reed). Her success, achieved amidst intense racial and gender discrimination, makes her a major figure in the history of Black American inventors. She is buried in New Haven's Evergreen Cemetery, leaving behind an object that has become a daily indispensable.
