My Mind, My Body, My Journey™ 

This will be the final post dedicated specifically to Black women. This follows the last post which discussed entrepreneurship among Black women. Black women have always been innovators and invented many things that benefited society. Most of us have heard of the accomplishments of Madame CJ Walker, whose invention of hair care products for Black women made her a millionaire. Here are some of the inventions by Black women that have improved our lives.  

1. Improved telecommunications 

1. Dr. Shirley Jackson was the first Black woman to receive her doctorate from MIT. She accomplished a lot in her career and later became the first Black woman to be appointed chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Her research led to the development of caller ID, call waiting, portable fax machines, and touch-tone phones.  

2. The heater 

1. Alice Parker is the reason that those of us who reside in colder climates can adjust the temperature in our homes. She designed a natural gas fueled heating furnace, which was patented in 1919. Her original design led to the development of the modern thermostat used in homes today.  

3. Space saving furniture  

1. Sarah Goode was born into slavery and was freed after the civil war. She moved to Chicago, IL, where she married and opened a furniture shop with her husband. She made history and became the first Black woman to file a patent. She invented a bed that could be converted into a desk, she called her invention a cabinet bed.  

4. Home security  

1. Marie Van Brittan Brown lived in a community impacted by crime and slow police response. She and her husband invented the first home security system, which was patented in 1966. The system had a camera at the front door, which broadcasted the image to a TV. The system had a two-way microphone that allowed communication with whomever was at the door and a remote switch to unlock the door. The system included an alert button that contacted a nearby security firm.  

5. Rock and roll 

1. In the 1930s and 40s, Sister Rosetta Tharpe combined gospel music with urban blues, traditional folk music, and a pulsating swing style. Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Johnny Cash were influenced by Tharpe’s musical style. Unfortunately, when rock and roll took off, she never received credit; however, her musical style has later been credited as the first definite precursor to rock and roll music.   

6. The modern hairbrush 

1. Remember how obsessed Marcia Brady was with her hair? She really did not need to brush it as much as she did because in 1898, Lyda Newman patented the modern hairbrush, which had evenly separated bristles and slots that separated the hair from dirt. Her invention also allowed you to remove part of the brush to clean it. Newman’s bristles are like the ones used in hairbrushes today.  

7. The modern menstruation pad 

1. Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner patented many inventions. She invented a back scrubber for use in the shower and an attachment on walking devices which allowed for storage. Her most notable invention was the improved sanitary napkin that included a moisture proof pocket. Kenner’s sanitary napkin is like what is currently used and lead to the development of leak guard technology used in menstrual pads, diapers, and puppy pads.  

8. 3D movies 

1. If you are a movie buff that enjoys 3D experience, you can thank Dr. Valerie Thomas, who received her doctorate in physics and worked at NASA. Her role at NASA involved producing images of the Earth and analyzing data. In her work she discovered that concave mirrors created the illusion of 3D objects. She continued to experiment on how to visually transmit the objects, which later led to her patenting the illusion transmitter in 1980. Her transmitter led to more advanced TV screens and the 3D technology movie buffs enjoy.  

9. Improved cataract removal surgery  

1. Dr. Patricia Bath accomplished many things during her career. She received her medical degree in ophthalmology and became the first woman to become the head of an ophthalmology medical program. She pioneered the concept of community ophthalmology, which increased the number of eye care providers available to low-income and underserved populations. Dr. Bath co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness. She became the first Black woman to receive a medical patent with her Laserphaco Probe, which drastically improved the process for removing cataracts. Dr. Bath’s Laserphaco Probe is used around the world to remove cataracts and quickly and painlessly.  

Entrepreneurship may not be for everyone, but many people have contributed to society through inventions, ideas, and other forms of intellectual property. The Black women highlighted above decided to patent their inventions to ensure credit for their ideas and contributions. If you have a creative idea, concept, image, or slogan explore options to trademark or copyright your idea. You have a few options such as filing for a copyright application, filing for a trademark application, and filing for a patent license. Copyright applications protect original works, such as art, photos, songs, and literature. Trademark applications protect names, logos, brands, and short slogans. A patent license protects inventions, processes, and compositions of matter (i.e., machines or medicine). Patents allow you to sell your invention to others, copyrights and trademarks provide financial protection from others using your brand name, logo, or original work without permission.  There are many options to pursue career goals and interests outside of traditional work options, you can have more than one journey over time.  

Wishing you health and happiness