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The Female Edison

The Female Edison

by Lindsay Price

Margaret E. Knight was a 19th century inventor with two big but forgotten stories.

At 12 years of age, while working at a textile factory, she invented a part to improve the safety of a power loom. How did she not only get mill management to listen to her idea but implement it?

As an adult, she invented a machine to mass-produce flat bottom paper bags. This invention was eventually stolen from her so she hired a lawyer to take the case to court. The defense was that “there is no way a woman could have invented this.” How did Margaret persist and secure her place in the annals of invention?

Drama

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

About 70 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
24 Characters
2 F | 22 Any Gender
Simple set
79 pages

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