47: Who Am I? The Life and Inventions of Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin

Date: February 18, 2026 Legacy Makers: Stories of Black Inventors and Icons Title and Show Info Episode #47: Who Am I? The Life and Inventions of Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin Featuring: Toni Davis (Host & Storyteller). Summary Discover the remarkable story of Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin, an often-overlooked African American woman inventor whose groundbreaking creation, the Gong and Signal Chair for Hotels, revolutionized customer service in the late 19th century. Long before push buttons and smart technology became standard, Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin imagined a better way for hotel guests to signal for assistance, earning a U.S. patent and a place in American innovation history. In this episode of Legacy Makers: Stories of Black Inventors and Icons, we explore her life, her inventive brilliance, and why her contributions still matter today. This inspiring story highlights Black women in STEM, early hotel technology, and the lasting impact of African American inventors on everyday life. 🎧 Tune in to learn how forgotten innovators shaped the world we live in and why their legacies deserve recognition. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. 🔔✨   Highlights: 00:57= INTRO 01:07= MIRIAM ELIZABETH BENJAMIN'S BIRTH. 01:31= HIS MOTHER, ELIZA JANE HOPKINS BENJAMIN. 01:49= HIS FATHER, FRANCIS BENJAMIN. 02:27= OLDEST OF FIVE SIBLINGS. 03:15= MOVES TO BOSTON AT AGE 12. 03:43= ATTENDS THE GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL. 04:05= GRADUATES FROM THE GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL. 04:10= WORKS AS SECOND ASSISTANT TEACHER IN FLORIDA. 04:55= MOVES TO WASHINGTON, DC AND CONTINUES TO WORK AS A TEACHER. 05:48= DESIGNS HER INVENTION. 08:31= FILES HER INVENTION PATENT APPLICATION. 08:38= PATENTS HER GONG AND SIGNAL CHAIR FOR HOTELS INVENTION.                                           08:54= 2ND AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN GRANTED A US PATENT. 09:34= RECEIVES FAME FOR HER INVENTION. 09:59= FUTURE CALL BUTTON ON AIRPLANES 10:17= TEACHER. GOVERNMENT CLERK. MED STUDENT. LAW STUDENT. 10:59= COTTON STATES AND INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION. 11:18= BOOKER T. WASHINGTON'S ATLANTA COMPROMISE SPEECH. 11:42= THE WOMEN'S ERA MAGAZINE. 11:51= THE BOSTON ELITE QUICKSTEP. 12:17= SOLICITOR OF PATENTS. 12:25= BROTHER, LYDE WILSON BENJAMIN PATENTS HIS INVENTION. 12:45= BROTHER, EDGAR FOUNDS THE BENJAMIN HEALTHCARE CENTER. 13:06= THE AMERICAN BUGLE CALL FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 13:18= HER SOLE FOR FOOTWEAR INVENTION. 14:26= PASSES AWAY IN BOSTON. 15:02= CONCLUSION. Subscribe to the podcast.   Links To Additional Resources: Miriam Benjamin - Wikipedia Miriam E. Benjamin (1861-1947) | BlackPast.org Miriam Benjamin, Inventor, and Teacher born - African American Registry Celebrating the Accomplished Life of Miriam Benjamin - Golan Christie Taglia Miriam Benjamin Facts for Kids Biography of Miriam Benjamin, Inventor of Signal Chair Miriam E. Benjamin | 28 Days of Black Excellence - VocalEssence Miriam Benjamin (1861-1947) | Video – The Kulture Kidz Miriam E. Benjamin: African American Inventor African American Innovators: Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin | Life at Leggett Miriam Benjamin. Many people aren't familiar with who… | by EveryDayBlackHistory | Medium Miriam E. Benjamin, Second Black Woman with Patent (gong & signal chair Invention) – MRS. T'S CORNER Women Miriam Benjamin Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin / SamePassage Miriam Benjamin - The Life and Inventions of Miriam Benjamin Miriam E. Benjamin by Megan Uzomba on Prezi Pioneering The Future: Miriam E. Benjamin and Her Revolutionary Gong and Signal Chair Miriam Benjamin | Nicole Evelina – USA Today Bestselling Author Miriam Benjamin - Gong and Signal Chair ✊🏾 Did you know? In 1888, Miriam E. Benjamin, a Black woman inventor, created the Gong and Signal Chair — an innovation that became the early model for the airline stewardess call button. ✈️ Her invention shows how Black brilliance has shaped even the everyday systems we still use today. 💡 #BlackHistory #BlackInventors #Innovation #MiriamBenjamin #TheBlackFeelings The Gong and Signal Chair is Patented by a Black Woman - African American Registry Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin – A Woman of Many Talents | Urban Intellectuals A Pioneering Black Woman Patent Attorney Miriam Benjamin - Wikiwand Benjamin, Miriam (Inventor And Educator) – UrbanAreas.net About: Miriam Benjamin Little Known Black History Fact: Miriam Benjamin File:Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin, inventor, Oct. 2021.jpg - Wikimedia Commons Miriam Benjamin: Inventor of the Gong and Signal Chair | Nyongesa Sande