02/07/2026
Black History Month Spotlight: Sarah E. Goode
Sarah E. Goode (c. 1850–1909) was a trailblazing inventor and entrepreneur and one of the first African American women to receive a U.S. patent. On July 14, 1885, she was granted a patent for her folding cabinet bed—an innovative, space-saving design created for small urban apartments in Chicago.
Her invention folded into a functional roll-top desk when not in use, allowing families living in tight spaces to maximize their homes. This groundbreaking design later evolved into what is now widely known as the Murphy bed, making Sarah E. Goode a pioneer of modern space-saving furniture.
Born into slavery and freed after the Civil War, Goode went on to co-own a furniture store with her husband, where she identified the real-life challenges her customers faced and created practical solutions. Her legacy lives on in homes around the world, reminding us that innovation, resilience, and brilliance have always been part of Black history.