Newman, Lyda (1880’s?-1900’s?), was an African American inventor who created an improved type of hairbrush. Little is known about Newman’s life. She was probably born around the mid-1880’s in Ohio. By the late 1890’s, Newman lived in New York City, New York, where she worked as a hairdresser. She pursued her invention at a time when African Americans and women were often discouraged or blocked from taking credit for their ideas. Newman was one of several African American female inventors in that era who developed hair and beauty products. These products were often specifically designed for use by Black women.
On Nov. 15, 1898, the United States Patent Office granted Newman a patent for a hairbrush invention. Newman’s design improved on existing hairbrushes in two main ways. First, her version included air chambers running through the brush’s back. These ventilation openings made the brush more effective for shaping hair. Second, Newman designed her brush to be taken apart for easy cleaning. The place and date of Newman’s death are unknown.
