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30/51
1899
The First Gas Furnace
Morris town, New Jersey
Alice H. Parker was a Black inventor in the early 20th century, best known for patenting a natural gas central heating system. Born in 1895 in Morristown, New Jersey, Parker attended Howard University, a notable achievement for a Black woman at the time. Her invention, patented in 1919, used natural gas and featured individually controlled burners, significantly improving home heating. Although her design was never implemented, it paved the way for modern heating systems. Parker's legacy endures through the annual Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Awards.
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