CHARLES FRANCIS JENKINS
The Legacy of Charles Francis Jenkins
Television Inventor
1923 - First Motion Picture Broadcast
On June 14, 1923, history was made on the second floor of this building with the broadcast of the world’s first wireless motion pictures. For the first time ever, a moving image was transmitted through the air and instantly seen in another location.
Charles Francis Jenkins, a renowned inventor, built a machine in his laboratory that accomplished this incredible scientific feat. The inspiration for his invention came from a letter he received from a deaf child who asked if he could create a device that would enable the deaf to see sign language from a distance. This idea led Charles Jenkins to invent the wireless motion picture machine. During the demonstration, attended by representatives from the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Post Office, the machine captured images of live hand movements and transmitted them wirelessly to a receiver in an adjacent room. There, the images were projected onto a viewing screen, allowing Jenkins to fulfill the child’s request. This event marked the first time that motion pictures of any kind had been sent through the air — an achievement that would alter the course of human history. (Casper Sunday Morning Tribune, June 17, 1923; The Washington Times, January 28, 1924)
Charles Francis Jenkins, a renowned inventor, built a machine in his laboratory that accomplished this incredible scientific feat. The inspiration for his invention came from a letter he received from a deaf child who asked if he could create a device that would enable the deaf to see sign language from a distance. This idea led Charles Jenkins to invent the wireless motion picture machine. During the demonstration, attended by representatives from the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Post Office, the machine captured images of live hand movements and transmitted them wirelessly to a receiver in an adjacent room. There, the images were projected onto a viewing screen, allowing Jenkins to fulfill the child’s request. This event marked the first time that motion pictures of any kind had been sent through the air — an achievement that would alter the course of human history. (Casper Sunday Morning Tribune, June 17, 1923; The Washington Times, January 28, 1924)
1925 - First Public Demonstration
On June 13, 1925, Charles Jenkins revealed his invention to the world in a highly publicized event. To demonstrate motion, a small model of a Dutch windmill was constructed, and its blades were turned slowly by the wind generated from an electric fan. With the cooperation of the U.S. Navy, this moving image was broadcast from the Naval Radio Station in Bellevue, Washington, D.C., and received by Jenkins' rooftop antenna here at 1519 Connecticut Avenue.
Inside the laboratory, an eager crowd had gathered around Jenkins' machine when, suddenly, a flickering image appeared. The little windmill, with its rotating blades, had completed its journey, illuminating the screen and the infinite possibilities for all. Charles Jenkins was awarded the U.S. patent "Transmitting Pictures by Wireless" on June 30, 1925 (U.S. Patent Number 1,544,156). (The Washington Post, June 14, 1925; The Sunday Star, June 14, 1925)
Inside the laboratory, an eager crowd had gathered around Jenkins' machine when, suddenly, a flickering image appeared. The little windmill, with its rotating blades, had completed its journey, illuminating the screen and the infinite possibilities for all. Charles Jenkins was awarded the U.S. patent "Transmitting Pictures by Wireless" on June 30, 1925 (U.S. Patent Number 1,544,156). (The Washington Post, June 14, 1925; The Sunday Star, June 14, 1925)
1928 - First Daily Television Program
In 1928, Jenkins Laboratories was transformed into a television production studio under the newly established Jenkins Television Corporation. Actors began arriving at the building, and on July 2, 1928, Charles Jenkins made history once again with the inauguration of America's first daily television program.
Initially, these broadcasts had simple storylines and only reached a small audience of hobbyists with the earliest television sets. However, it wasn’t long before people across the country were tuning in six nights a week at 8 p.m. to experience the marvel of television. In December 1928, the Jenkins Television Corporation went public, achieving a market value of $10 million and bringing Charles Jenkins both widespread fame and considerable fortune. (The Washington Post, July 6, 1928; The New York Times, December 5, 1928)
Initially, these broadcasts had simple storylines and only reached a small audience of hobbyists with the earliest television sets. However, it wasn’t long before people across the country were tuning in six nights a week at 8 p.m. to experience the marvel of television. In December 1928, the Jenkins Television Corporation went public, achieving a market value of $10 million and bringing Charles Jenkins both widespread fame and considerable fortune. (The Washington Post, July 6, 1928; The New York Times, December 5, 1928)
His Inventions Changed The World
By 1930, it was estimated that around 20,000 people were watching television regularly. Today, that number has grown to more than 5 billion. Jenkins continued broadcasting from this location until shortly before his death in 1934. His inventions had changed the world forever. (The Boyhood of an Inventor, the autobiography of Charles Francis Jenkins, 1931)
Jenkins himself often stepped into the role of director, and interestingly, the first television cameraman was a woman—Florence Clark, an important member of his staff.