David Crosthwait, American engineer, inventor and writer (died 1976)

David Nelson Crosthwait Jr. was an African-American mechanical and electrical engineer, inventor, and writer. Crosthwait's expertise was on air ventilation, central air conditioning, and heat transfer systems. He was responsible for creating heating systems for larger buildings such as Rockefeller Center and New York's Radio City Music Hall. He was granted an honorary doctoral degree in 1975 from Purdue University. In 1971, Crosthwait was elected as a fellow of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), making him the first African American fellow. Crosthwait was also named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).