This Black History Month, I’m sharing stories of black inventors and their contributions to our lives with products we’ve come to know and love. Follow to learn about other black inventors and their products throughout the month!

Do you own a smart thermostat? You can use it to set the temperature in your home from your phone, schedule preferred temperatures based on your arrival time or enhance heating and cooling to conserve energy.

In learning about home automation products, I never knew an African-American woman made the technology possible with her invention.

The Inventor: Alice H. Parker
An African-American woman, Alice H. Parker invented the heating furnace which paved the way for modern heating and thermostats.

The Product: Heating Furnace
U.S. Patent No. 1,325,905: Heating Furnace (1919)

The Pain Point
Parker was a native of Morristown, New Jersey and grew tired of cold winters due to the lack of heat distribution from a fireplace in her home.

The Solution
Parker invented a natural gas-powered furnace that evenly distributed heat throughout the house. She also created special air ducts that could be individually controlled from each room.

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Do you own a smart thermostat? Did you know that Alice H. Parker invented the heating furnace? Let me know below!

Dasanj Aberdeen

Dasanj Aberdeen is an entrepreneurial spirit who embodies the combination of left-brain logic and right-brain creativity. She is a consultant and proponent of multidisciplinary education, approaches and pursuits. She writes about their benefits in modern times and integrating multiple interests into a sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle. She’s a graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University with a concentration in Technology & Innovation Management, jointly delivered by the Fox School of Business and College of Engineering.

This Black History Month, I’m sharing stories of black inventors and their contributions to our lives with products we’ve come to know and love. Follow to learn about other black inventors and their products throughout the month!

These days, we use our smartphone to open doors remotely, see when a package arrives or see who rang the doorbell while working upstairs.

I’ve spent a lot of time understanding home security products but I never knew an African-American woman named Marie Van Brittan Brown made this technology possible with her invention.

The Inventor: Mary Van Brittan Brown
An African American nurse, Mary Van Brittan Brown, devised an early security unit for her own home which paved the way for today’s security systems.

The Product: Home Security System
U.S. Patent No. 3,482,037: Home Security System Utilizing Television Surveillance issued to Brown and her husband in 1969

The Pain Point
Brown worked late hours as a nurse and wanted to feel safe when home alone in Queens, New York while her husband was away or working.

The Solution
Brown created a product to put her mind at ease. She invented a system that used a camera to see who was at the front door without opening it, displaying the camera’s view on a monitor.

Other features of the system included a two-way microphone and intercom system to speak to anyone at the door, a button to unlock the door, and a button that would contact the police or security.

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Do you own a home security system? Did you know that Mary Van Brittan Brown invented it? Let me know below!

Dasanj Aberdeen

Dasanj Aberdeen is an entrepreneurial spirit who embodies the combination of left-brain logic and right-brain creativity. She is a consultant and proponent of multidisciplinary education, approaches and pursuits. She writes about their benefits in modern times and integrating multiple interests into a sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle. She’s a graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University with a concentration in Technology & Innovation Management, jointly delivered by the Fox School of Business and College of Engineering.