The story of innovation that illuminated the world—yet the inventor's name remains in
shadow.

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B Daht introduces Shirley Ann Jackson—the woman whose research led to caller ID,
call waiting, fiber optics, and the technology that powers modern communication.

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In 1966, Marie Van Brittan Brown invented the world's first home security system,
creating the blueprint for every modern system that followed.

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Richard Spikes invented the modern gear shift, improved automatic transmission, and
early turn signals—technology that makes driving safer every day.

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George Crum's accidental invention of the potato chip became a global industry—yet
few people know the Black/Native chef behind the snack.

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The modern ice cream scoop was invented by Alfred L. Cralle in 1897. This episode
reveals how everyday convenience hides Black brilliance in plain sight.

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Founded in 1946, FAMU's Marching 100 didn't just redefine halftime—they built an
infrastructure of Black excellence that the world would eventually copy.

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Decades before medicine believed it possible, a Black surgeon performed one of the
world's first successful open-heart surgeries—and history still barely tells his story.

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The technology behind every color screen was perfected by a Black inventor who
never received the compensation or recognition his work deserved.

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One Black woman didn't plan to desegregate NASA—she simply went to work. Her
presence alone dismantled segregation inside one of America's most powerful
institutions.

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