Ceramic Mug 15oz (Marie Van Brittan Brown)

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Marie Van Brittan Brown (October 30, 1922 – February 2, 1999) was an African American nurse and innovator1. She was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York1. Her father was born in Massachusetts and her mother was from Pennsylvania2. She married an electrician named Albert Brown and they had two children, a boy named Albert Jr. and a girl named Norma.

In 1966, she invented a video home security system along with her husband Albert Brown, an electronics technician1. Their invention consisted of four peepholes, a sliding camera, TV monitors, and microphones1. The camera could go from peephole to peephole, allowing her to see who was at the door without opening it1. The TV monitors allowed her to see who was at the door without opening it, while the microphone allowed her to speak with whoever was outside without having to open the door1. On August 1, 1966, Marie and her husband submitted a patent application for her invention1. The patent was granted by the government on December 2, 1969.

Marie Van Brittan Brown’s invention laid the foundation for later security systems that make use of its features such as video monitoring, remote-controlled door locks, push-button alarm triggers, instant messaging to security providers and police, as well as two-way voice communication2. Her invention was recognized with an award from the National Scientists Committee, and she was interviewed by The New York Times on December 6, 19692. She passed away on February 2, 1999.