Lyda Newman was born in 1885 in Ohio. She received a patent November 15, 1898, for an improved hair brush design that was very hygienic: it could be taken apart for easy cleaning. Newman was an African-American hairdresser by trade. She was also a Women’s Rights Activist and was instrumental in organizing the African-American Branch of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Not a lot is known about Newman’s personal life; however limited information can be found at the following websites:
https://www.biography.com/people/lyda-newman-21071221
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyda_D._Newman
http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/black-woman-patents-hair-brush
