Marie Van Brittan Brown: the Mother of Home Security Inventions

February is Black History Month. And what better way to celebrate than to lift from obscurity African Americans who played crucial roles in this country’s scientific, cultural and industrial progress. Their achievements saved thousands of lives, made the lives of many Americans easier and in some instances changed the course of history. And yet, they are largely forgotten by the world they helped to change for the better. In this series, we will highlight some of these under-appreciated and forgotten men and women.

Full-time nurse Marie Van Brittan Brown was simply looking for a way to feel safe in her own home when she came up with an idea that would have world-wide impact.

It was the 1960s, the crime rate was on the rise in Brown’s Queens, N.Y. neighborhood and police response was slow. So, Brown decided to take matters into her own hands and look out for her safety. The idea she came up with would prove to be revolutionary.

In 1966, Brown who was in her 40s, decided to create a closed-circuit system that would allow her to know who was at the door and to contact the relevant authority as soon as possible. Three peepholes were placed on the front door at different height levels for children and adults. On the opposite side of the door, a camera was attached to slide up and down to allow the person inside the home to see through each peephole. The camera captured the images, which would then be projected onto a television monitor via a radio-controlled wireless system. That monitor or a set of monitors could be placed in any part of the house to allow the viewer to see who was at the door. It also had a two-way microphone to allow Brown to speak to the person outside and a panic button, according to Thinkgrowth.org.

If the person was an intruder, with a push of the button the police would be notified. If the person was welcome, she would use a remote control to unlock the door. It’s unclear if she ever had to use that panic button.

On Aug. 1, Brown filed the patent for her “home security system utilizing television surveillance, according to Timeline.com. Her husband, Albert, got second billing. It was the first of its kind. Brown’s security system brought “CCTV” use into the home, the site, the site reported.

Her invention inspired many versions of home security systems used today in single-family homes, multi-unit dwellings such as apartment buildings and condos as well as offices and small businesses, Timeline reported. By 2013, more than a dozen inventors had cited the Brown patent for their own devices, according to the online site.

For her invention, Brown received an award from the National Science Committee. Brown, who was born in 1922 and had two children, died on Feb. 2, 1999.