BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY David Crosthwait

David N. Crosthwait, Jr.^[1]
Born	May 27, 1898 Nashville, Tennessee
Died	February 25, 1976 (aged 77)
Nationality	American
Education	Purdue University
Engineering career
Engineering discipline	Electrical, Mechanical
Employer(s)	C.A. Dunham Company (now Marshall Engineered Products Co.)^[2]
Significant projects	Radio City Music Hall (Heating system)
Significant awards	Honorary Doctorate (Purdue University)

David Crosthwait (May 27, 1898 – February 25, 1976) was an African-American mechanical and electrical engineer, inventor, and writer. He was born in the city of Nashville, Tennessee. He grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. Once he completed high school he received a Bachelor of Science (1913) and a Masters of Engineering (1920) from Purdue University. He was granted an honorary doctoral degree in 1975^[2] but died one year later.^[1]

Career

Crosthwait’s expertise was on air ventilation, central air conditioning, and heat transfer systems. With this knowledge he created many different heating systems, refrigeration methods, temperature regulating devices, and vacuum pumps. For these inventions he holds 39 United States patents, as well as 80 international patents.^[2] In the 1920s and 1930's Crosthwait invented a vacuum pump, a boiler, and a thermostat control, all for more effective heating systems for larger buildings. Some of his greatest accomplishments were for creating the heating systems for the Rockefeller Center and New York’s Radio City Music Hall.^[1]

He later wrote an instruction manual and guides for heating and cooling with water and guides, standards, and codes that dealt with heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems.

Later life

After retiring from the field in 1971, Crosthwait began to teach a course on steam heating theory and control systems at Purdue University.^[2] He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Purdue University in 1975,^[2] and died one year later in 1976.