Martha Jones: The Woman Who Changed the Way Corn Was Processed

In this episode of Once Upon a Time in Black History, Tamara Shiloh introduces us to Martha Jones, a Black woman from Virginia who, in 1868, received U.S. Patent No. 77,494 for an improved corn-husking and shelling machine.

Her invention combined multiple steps into one process while finding practical uses for leftover corn husks. Widely believed to be the first Black woman in the United States to receive a patent, Jones’s achievement offers a powerful glimpse into Black innovation during Reconstruction.

Discover the remarkable story of a woman whose invention helped move American agriculture toward a more mechanized future.