Black Excellist: 10 Black Women Inventors

Summary

This video highlights the contributions of 10 African-American women inventors whose innovations transformed the world. It celebrates pioneers like Patricia Bath, who revolutionized eye surgery with her laser technology, and Marie Van Brittain Brown, creator of the first home security system. Other inventors include Miriam Benjamin, Sarah Good, and Marjorie Stewart Joiner, whose inventions ranged from hotel signal chairs to folding beds and beauty tools. Through these stories, the video emphasizes the ingenuity, resilience, and impact of Black women on both the past and present.

Takeaways

• 👩‍⚕️ Patricia Bath was a pioneering ophthalmologist who invented the Laserphaco Probe, becoming the first African-American female doctor to patent a medical device.
• 🔐 Marie Van Brittain Brown developed the first home security system with a camera, two-way microphone, and remote control doors, laying the foundation for modern surveillance systems.
• 💺 Miriam Benjamin invented the Hotel Signal Chair, which allowed hotel guests to summon waiters with a button and light signal, enhancing customer service in the hospitality industry.
• 🛏️ Sarah E. Good, the first African-American woman to receive a patent, created the folding cabinet bed, a space-saving innovation for small living spaces.
• 💇‍♀️ Marjorie Stewart Joyner revolutionized the beauty industry with her Perfect Wave Machine, which allowed for multiple hair sections to be curled simultaneously, speeding up the hair straightening process.
• 🍞 Judy Reid's Dough Kneader and Roller improved the process of making bread by evenly mixing dough and keeping it clean, though her authorship as the first African-American female patent holder is disputed due to her signature with an 'X'.
• 👗 Sarah Boone enhanced the ironing process with her curved ironing board, designed specifically for the sleeves and waist seams of women's garments, making ironing easier and more efficient.
• 👕 Ellen Craft's Clothes Ringer made wringing out wet clothes less labor-intensive by using a roller mechanism, though she sold her patent for a minimal sum due to racial concerns at the time.
• 🪒 L. Newman's innovative hairbrush design featured evenly spaced bristles and a compartment for debris, promoting hygiene and efficiency in hair care.
• 🔥 Alice H. Parker's central heating system using natural gas was a safer and more efficient way to heat homes, reducing the need for wood and lowering the risk of house fires.

Q & A

Who is Patricia Bath and what is her significant invention?

Patricia Bath was a pioneering ophthalmologist who invented the Laserphaco Probe in 1986, a device that uses laser technology for a less painful and precise treatment of cataracts. She was the first African-American female doctor to hold a patent for a medical device.

What was Marie Van Brittain Brown's contribution to home security?

Marie Van Brittain Brown invented the first home security system, which included a camera, monitors, a two-way microphone, and an alarm button to contact the police. Her invention laid the foundation for modern surveillance systems.

Why did Miriam Benjamin invent the Signal Chair?

Miriam Benjamin invented the Signal Chair to allow hotel guests to summon waiters without having to leave their seats or call out loudly. It featured a buzzer button and a light signal to alert waitstaff.

How did Sarah Good's Folding Cabinet Bed address space constraints in small apartments?

Sarah Good's Folding Cabinet Bed was designed to maximize space in small apartments by providing a bed that could be concealed within a rolltop desk, thus serving dual purposes and saving space.

What was Marjorie Stewart Joyner's innovation in the field of cosmetology?

Marjorie Stewart Joyner invented the 'Perfect Wave Machine,' a device that used multiple rods to create curls or waves in hair simultaneously, revolutionizing the hair straightening process for African-American women.

What problem did Judy Reid's Dough Kneader address, and how did it improve the process?

Judy Reid's Dough Kneader improved the process of mixing dough by evenly distributing the ingredients through two rollers with corrugated slats, making it easier and more efficient than traditional kneading methods.

How did Sarah E. Goode's invention of the improved ironing board make ironing easier for women?

Sarah E. Goode's improved ironing board was designed with a narrow and curved shape to fit the sleeves and bodies of women's garments, making it easier to iron these curved and slim areas.

What was the purpose of Ellen Craft's Clothes Ringer, and how did it change laundry practices?

Ellen Craft's Clothes Ringer was a machine with two rollers that pressed water out of clothes, making the laundry process more efficient and less labor-intensive than traditional hand-wringing methods.

What was the innovative feature of L. Newman's hairbrush design?

L. Newman's hairbrush featured evenly spaced bristles with open slots to guide debris away from the hair into a compartment, and a back that could be opened for cleaning, promoting both efficiency and hygiene.

How did Alice Parker's central heating system using natural gas revolutionize home heating?

Alice Parker's central heating system used natural gas to heat air, which was then distributed through ducts to individual rooms, providing a more efficient and safer heating method compared to traditional fireplaces or coal-based systems.