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After success as a barbershop owner and becoming the first Black member of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, Miles opened a three-story brownstone where he witnessed the risks of elevator operation.
Year: 1887​
Who: Alexander Miles (1838 – 1918)​
Where: Duluth, Minnesota​
What: Alexander Miles was an African American inventor and businessman known for his groundbreaking contribution to the elevator industry. He was awarded U.S. patent 371,207 on October 11, 1887, for his innovative design of an automatic elevator door system. Miles' invention revolutionized elevator safety by eliminating the need for manual operation of the elevator and shaft doors, which had previously posed significant hazards.
Born in Pickaway County, Ohio, Miles moved to Duluth, Minnesota, where he became the first Black member of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce and operated a barber shop. He later relocated to Montgomery, Alabama, and then to Chicago, where he founded The United Brotherhood, a life insurance company that catered to African Americans, who were often excluded from mainstream insurance services. Miles' life was marked by both his entrepreneurial spirit and his dedication to improving safety standards.
The idea for his elevator mechanism likely came after a personal tragedy. His daughter, Grace, fell into an elevator shaft, inspiring Miles to find a solution to prevent such accidents. His design featured a flexible belt attached to the elevator cage, which, when it made contact with drums positioned along the shaft, automatically opened and closed both the elevator and shaft doors. This system greatly improved the safety and efficiency of elevators, preventing the risks of open shafts and manual door operation.
Miles' invention is still seen in modern elevator designs, where automatic doors are now standard. His legacy was recognized posthumously when he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007, cementing his place in history as a visionary inventor who transcended racial barriers.
Sources:
Websites:
BlackPast. (n.d.). George Washington Murray (1853-1926). https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/murray-george-washington-1853-1926/#:~:text=South%20Carolina%20Congressman%20George%20Washington,where%20he%20graduated%20in%201876
MIT Press. (n.d.). 300 Years of African American Invention and Innovation. https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/300-years-of-african-american-invention-and-innovation/#easy-footnote-33-7368
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