Mary Kies, the First Woman to Receive a U.S. Patent

Mary Kies, the First Woman to Receive a U.S. Patent

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The text and images are from “America’s Story from America’s Library” by the Library of Congress.

Mary Kies Wearing her patented straw hat

Calvert Litho. Co., lithographer. Head-and-Shoulders Image of Brunette Woman, Facing Right, Credit: Wearing Large Blue Hat, 1892. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. Call Number POS - TH - STO, no. 11 (C size).

Weaving straw and silk, Kies could create fashionable hats of the day--a lot different than today!

Have you ever invented something? If you have, you may want to do what Mary Kies did: patent it. The Patent Act of 1790 opened the door for anyone, male or female, to protect his or her invention with a patent. However, because in many states women could...

This article from the Library of Congress has no known copyright restrictions.