02/13/2025
For the next part of our series, we highlight Marie Van Brittan Brown, inventor of the home security system.
Marie Brown, a nurse, and her husband Albert, an electronics technician, both worked nontraditional hours on different schedules, meaning Marie was often at home by herself. At the time, their neighborhood in Queens was a high-crime area with slow police response times. Seeking to improve personal security, Brown created an electronic system to identify visitors and contact authorities quickly. Her invention included peepholes, a camera, monitors, a two-way microphone, and an alarm button to alert the police, forming the foundation for modern security systems.
Brown was awarded a patent for the invention in 1969 along with much-deserved recognition, including an award from the National Scientists Committee. Her creation remains widely used in businesses, homes, and multi-unit dwellings to this day.
