In 1889, a folding chair was patented by black American inventors John E. Purdy and James R. Sadgwar of Washington, D.C. (U.S. No. 405,117). They described a design for a "cheap, strong and durable chair which is capable of being folded into small compass, so as to be easily portable. The invention consists in the peculiar manner of jointing or hinging the frame and in details of construction." Each leg had two sections hinged together. The seat could be canvas, carpet, or any such ordinary flexible material. "When folded, this chair makes a remarkable small and compact bundle... in very convenient form to be carried in a bag or shawl-strap... making a most convenient article for artists, tourists, &c." The Inventive Spirit of African Americans: Patented Ingenuity, by Patricia Carter Sluby. - book suggestion.