Lydia a. newman biography

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Synopsis

Lyda Newman, born in Ohio circa , was an African-American inventor and women's rights activist. A hairdresser by trade, she received a patent for an improved model of hairbrush in She also fought for women's right to vote, working with well-known women's suffrage activists.

Newman lived much of her adult life in New York City.

Inventing an Improved Hairbrush

Little is known about the life of Lyda D. Newman. According to official census records, she was born in Ohio around By the late s, she was a New York City resident.

In , Newman applied for a United States patent for a new style of hairbrush.

She received the patent on November 15, Her hairbrush design included several features for efficiency and hygiene. It had evenly spaced rows of bristles, with open slots to guide debris away from the hair into a recessed compartment, and a back that could be opened at the touch of a button for cleaning out the compartment.

Women's Rights Activist

In , Newm