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Year:1892​

Who: Henry A. Bowman​

Where: Worcester, MA​

What: New what Text: Henry A. Bowman, an African American inventor, made significant contributions to the production of American flags with his patented use of zig-zag stitching for sewing stars onto flags. On February 23, 1892, Bowman was awarded U.S. Patent No. 469,395 for his Device for Making Flags, which detailed his innovative technique. This method involved sewing white fabric blanks to both sides of the canton using zig-zag stitching, then cutting away the excess material to form the stars. Although this method was less efficient in terms of material usage, it greatly improved the speed of production and provided more secure star stitching.

Bowman's flag company marked its flags with the patent date and number, making them easily recognizable. However, despite his patent, Bowman struggled to protect his intellectual property. Others adopted his zig-zag stitching technique, and in 1894, Bowman lost a court case—Bowman v. De Grauw et al.—where the judge ruled that his technique was not sufficiently novel to warrant a patent. This loss contributed to the downfall of his flag company.

The flags made by Bowman's company, especially those with the stenciled patent marking, are now considered rare. One example of a Bowman flag is a 2x3-foot, 45-star flag, notable for its folky and unevenly sized stars stitched using his patented zig-zag method. While the technique gave the stars a rougher appearance, it ensured that they were securely attached, particularly important for nautical flags.

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