Happy Women's History Month, boo!

 

I spent this last week thinking about how I wanted to celebrate dope a** women in this week's newsletter, and here's where I landed:

 

Inventors.

 

There are so many women whose inventions have changed the game for our daily routines at home. So today, I am excited to highlight a few of my faves (not gonna lie, it was tough to only choose 5!)

 

Here goes…

 

If you've loaded up a dishwasher instead of cleaning all your dishes by hand, you've benefitted from Josephine Cochran's genius invention (seriously she is the real MVP).

 

Here's how it went down…

 

Josephine was tired of her dishes chipping every time she washed them by hand with scrubbers. So, she invented a mechanical dishwasher that used water pressure to clean dishes efficiently. The dishwasher also had wire compartments sized to fit plates, cups, and saucers.

 

The result? 

 

Sparkling clean dishes without a single chip or crack in sight – with just the push of a button.

 

Josephine's invention, showcased at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, didn't just revolutionize household chores — it sparked an entire industry.

 

Do you have a Ring or Google doorbell/camera? Have you ever used a baby cam? Maybe you have a home security system?

 

If you answered 'yes,' you have the incredible Marie Van Brittan Brown to thank.

 

During the mid-1960s, home security systems were almost nonexistent.

 

But Marie wanted to feel safer in her house whenever she was alone. Being a nurse herself, she usually got home at odd hours. At that time, her neighborhood had high crime rates and a low response rate from the police.

 

She was determined to find a solution and teamed up with her husband, Albert Brown, an electronics technician, to create something revolutionary in 1966: the first home security system.

 

It featured a series of peepholes, a camera, and monitors strategically placed around her home. With a two-way microphone system, she could communicate with visitors and even unlock the door remotely.

 

Her innovative invention paved the way for modern home security systems and empowered individuals to take control of their safety. 

 

Florence Parpart is the reason why you can keep your groceries fresh and your drinks nice and cold.

 

In the early 20th century, people still relied on old-fashioned ice boxes to keep their food fresh.

 

Florence wanted to come up with a better solution. She wanted to transform the way we stored and preserved perishable items.

 

And she did. In 1914, the first electric refrigerator was born.

 

Her groundbreaking invention had a motor-powered cooling system that preserved food for longer periods of time without the need for ice. 

 

Game-changer.

 

If drip coffee is your jam, it's time to raise your mug to German homemaker Melitta Bentz.

 

And the story goes…

 

Melitta was fed up with drinking gritty coffee, so she took matters into her own hands. She punched holes in a brass pot, lined it with paper from her son's notebook, and poured hot water over coffee grounds.

 

Viola! Smooth and grit-free coffee.

 

Her 1908 invention changed the game for the coffee experience and laid the groundwork for the modern pour-over and drip coffee systems you see today. Oh, and her filters are still sold today. #boss

 

When it’s cold outside during the winter months, it’s nice to go inside your home, turn on the central heat, and feel warm and cozy, right? Well, you have Alice Parker to thank for that. 

 

She was an African American woman who revolutionized how we heat our homes by patenting the first gas furnace heating system in 1919.

 

Before her invention, people would use wood or coal to heat their homes in fireplaces that could not reach the whole house. So Alice developed a type of natural gas furnace that can send warm air all over the place in ducts.

 

Her work inspired other heating inventions, including the modern forced air furnace and thermostat.

 

Sidenote: Searching for her image was…interesting. It turns out the two pictures that you see all over the internet are not her. Wow.

 

Have a great week!