The Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Award

The Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Award was created by the N.J. Chamber of Commerce to recognize and celebrate the contributions of women to the rich legacy of innovation in New Jersey. The N.J. Chamber named the award after African-American Alice H. Parker, a long overdue acknowledgement of the Morristown resident's significant contributions. In 1911, Parker, despite no formal training or expertise, earned a patent for a "natural gas-fueled, new and improved heating furnace," the blueprint for the forced-air, thermostat-controlled home heating systems used everywhere today. Other than this patent, little is known about Parker's life. Howard University confirmed that she was a student there, that she took classes with honors, and earned a certificate from its academy in 1910. The North Jersey History and Genealogical Society has a thin file containing not much more than the copy of her patent, which states she lived in Morristown.