Remote Curiosity: A Tribute to Dr. Joseph N. Jackson
Celebrating the prolific life of a black serial inventor
The little people
It was the early 1940s in Harvey, Louisiana, just across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. A precocious black boy about five years old is positioned in front of a large radio in his living room transfixed by the strange voices coming from his favorite electronic device. He always wondered where these voices came from and on this particular day, with a clear coast and an insatiable curiosity, he was determined to find out once and for all.
When he removed the radio bevel, what he found was far from a panel of chatty little people: a big round object, which he later learned was a speaker. Unsatisfied, he punched a hole through the speaker. But all he found from this costly maneuver was the wall in the back and a funny distortion in the original sound.
Later that day when his father returned home, he disciplined his mischievous son for the damage he caused in his absence. As consolation, he also gave him a mini lesson about the inner workings of the radio and, in the process, ignited an imagination that would produce many of the conveniences that we enjoy today. These were the formative experiences of black inventor, scientist, and businessman, Joseph N. Jackson. ¹
Early childhood and education
Joseph N. Jackson was born in 1937 to Ernest and Octavia Jackson in Harvey, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The fourth of eight children, Jackson attended an all-black public school until the seventh grade. In those years, he never made much of the condition of his textbooks, but as he grew older and more sensitive to discrimination, he eventually realized that these tattered books were over a decade older than those given to his white counterparts. ¹ ²
Jackson’s early education featured controversial black iconography captured by the likes of Little Black Sambo as well as a misplaced reverence for Stephen Foster, the “Father of American Music” whose work was dedicated to blackface minstrel shows and racist anthems. ³ As a black American boy, he could not find in the school curriculum examples of black people making positive contributions to society. ¹
Years of service
After spending three years in the 5th grade, three years in the 6th grade, and six weeks in the 7th grade, Jackson decided to quit school. At age 17, he worked as an oil field tool maintenance helper for some time. Additionally, he found work with a white woman who taught him to type among other useful administrative skills. Soon after that, he enlisted in the army at the age of 18, where he quickly landed a “cushy” job as a typist. Here, Jackson found what the Louisiana school system was lacking in doctrine if not in personnel: a melange of people like him doing amazing things. Inspired, he worked toward a GED and enrolled in radio and TV repair school. Soon thereafter, Jackson established his own radio and TV repair shop in Fayetteville, North Carolina, which he owned and operated part time throughout his military years. ¹
An inventive life
After several years of service, Jackson transitioned to civilian life, but he was not satisfied. His curiosity for electronics, which was sparked at an early age, drove him beyond accepted boundaries in telecommunications. In the early half of his career, Jackson developed the Programmable Television Receiver Controller, a precursor to the V-Chip, which is leveraged by parents to block out violent television programs.
The programmable remote control was just the tip of the iceberg for the prolific life that followed Dr. Jackson. Throughout his career, he has amassed six U.S. patents in telecommunications and fertility prediction as well as numerous trademarks, copyrights, and pending patents in aircraft security and tracking systems. He has even developed technology to empower women, including Fem-Choice, a handheld biorhythmic fertility predictor. ²
Advocate for the people
Dr. Jackson is more than an inventor. Considering the nature of his inventions, some would label him a social entrepreneur. Yet, even beyond his inventions, he constantly used his platform to enlighten and uplift vulnerable communities with concrete data. Years ago, the television industry called upon Jackson to testify before the House of Representatives and a group of senators to propose technical solutions to television violence. While there, he was able to demonstrate to parents the power, simplicity, and affordability of his new technology.
“Everyday, you will use something invented by a black person.” ⁴ This is the mantra of the Black Inventions Museum, which was co-founded by Jackson in 1994 to celebrate the black trailblazers of yesterday and inspire the black innovators of tomorrow. This museum showcases individuals like traffic signal inventor Garrett Morgan and self-made millionaire Madam C.J. Walker, who created hair maintenance and restoration products for African Americans.
Learning about Jackson’s story, one cannot help but imagine that the deficit in positive black imagery in his early education followed by the abundance of black excellence in his army years played a major role in his involvement with the Black Inventions Museum. With this exhibition, he is showing black youth that they too can leave a positive mark on society.
Today, Dr. Jackson continues to give back. He serves as a patent consultant to potential inventors throughout the country. He is also a member of the Black Business Association of Los Angeles and serves on the College of Engineering Advisory Board at California State University, Long Beach. ⁵
Personal reflections
As we round out Black History Month, it was important for me to highlight Dr. Joseph N. Jackson for three reasons. Firstly, I wanted to pay tribute to a man that has used technology to empower people. Secondly, I wanted to inspire you to think about ways in which you can serve others regardless of your profession. Finally, and ironically, I had never heard of him. For all his contributions to society, I was hard-pressed to find credible online material on Dr. Jackson. The narrative around television remote controls and V-Chips is mostly focused on white male figures like Robert Adler and Eugene Polley. ⁶ While these men were integral to the evolution of this technology, Dr. Jackson is not remotely credited enough for his own meaningful contributions. In a month that is dedicated to celebrating and preserving black history, it was important for me to highlight a man that has devoted much of his career and life to the same cause.
References
- Ray Mapp interviews Dr. Joseph Jackson — https://youtu.be/fKRjRzAeLVw
- Joseph N. Jackson: Inventor of the Programmable Television Receiver Controller — https://theblackinventionsmuseum.org/BISMuseums/Joseph_N_Jackson.html
- Pittsburgh just took down ‘the most racist statue in America’ — https://archive.theincline.com/2018/04/26/pittsburghs-stephen-foster-statue-is-coming-down-today/
- The Black Inventions Museum Exhibit Visits IndyPL — https://youtu.be/zmMSNQYfvd4
- Black History Fun Fact Friday — Dr. Joseph N. Jackson — https://thepbsblog.com/2018/10/18/black-history-fun-fact-friday-dr-joseph-n-jackson/
- Remote control — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_control
