Today’s Black inventors do not face the same legal and societal hurdles in the patent system, and many have found significant success. Despite Black inventors faced significant barriers whether free or enslaved, this did not, however, kill their inventive spirit. People who were enslaved served as prolific inventors on Southern plantations.
Anna M. Mangin was a true trailblazer, not only as an African-American woman, but also as an inventor and women’s rights activist. Born in Louisiana in October 1854, she married A.F. Mangin and together they had two children. Anna and her family lived as free citizens, but despite this, faced significant barriers when it came to securing patents for their inventions.
During her lifetime, the patent system was not available to enslaved people, who were not considered American citizens. Additionally, states enacted laws preventing enslaved people from owning any kind of property, including patents. Inventions by African Americans could not be claimed and could be stolen or claimed by someone else. Even after slavery was abolished and the Dred Scott opinion was superseded by the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, the economic and educational conditions many free blacks faced were not conducive to pursuing incentives and opportunities provided by patent law.
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Despite these significant legal and societal hurdles, Anna M. Mangin never let anything hold her back. In 1891, she invented the pastry fork, a kitchen tool that revolutionized cooking and baking. Before the invention of the pastry fork, kneading dough was a tedious and often painful task. Women who did most of the domestic work in those days often experienced pain in their wrists, elbows, and palms, which affected the quality of their work and their ability to carry out other duties.
Anna’s invention was a gamechanger as it eliminated these problems. The pastry fork is an attachment that automatically mixes without the need for manual effort. Powered by electricity, the fork can perform a lot of tasks such as beating eggs, mashing potatoes, thickening foods, making drawn butter, preparing salad dressings, and most importantly, kneading dough.
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The pastry fork is a compact and efficient tool that not only creates more time for baking and cooking but also ensures uniform consistency in baked goods. The fork mixes the dough more thoroughly, ensuring that all ingredients are evenly incorporated, resulting in a more informed consistency in the final product.
On July 7, 1891, Anna filed a patent application for the pastry fork, and on March 1, 1892, she was awarded the patent in Queens, New York. Her invention was later displayed at the New York Afro-American Exhibit at the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, where she received recognition for her contributions to the baking and cooking industry.
An African Giant Anna M. Mangin’s achievement has inspired many African-American inventors to push boundaries and pursue their dreams despite any limitations. Her invention paved the way for other electric mixing equipment, and her legacy continues to inspire current inventors in the United States and beyond. She will forever be remembered as a pioneer in the domestic and culinary sphere, whose invention changed the way people prepare and bake their favourite foods.
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