The United Inventors and Scientists of America, an organization designed to "help the inventor with his problems," was founded in 1942 by David Resnick (b. 1883-1976?), a trained chemist from Russia. Believing that “the American inventor is not a happy one,” Resnick, the only president of the United Inventors and Scientists of America, actively sought more protections for inventors from the United States Congress. He worked to establish uniform world patent agreements and laws, organize inventors internationally, and establish a place where inventors could work out their ideas. Resnick was relentless in his pursuit to champion and help the inventor. The United Inventors and Scientists of America commissioned pianist and composer Albert D. Tessier (1900-1996) to pen Hail, Inventors and Scientists, which became the official song of the organization in 1963.
The cover of the sheet music presents quite the array of male inventors—with the exception of Marie Curie, the sole woman. But Resnick recognized that women were absent from the invention record; in 1974, he was busily at work preparing a directory of women inventors with almost 4,000 names. Hail, women inventors!
From the second verse of this song, we rejoice:
Great old souls of the past and present, we honor your names and your fame-
In the pages of history, there in gold, we’ll engrave e’vry name.
Hail Leonardo DaVinci, Tesla, Hail Madame Curie and the rest.
Let us work all together with all our strength and with our very best.
Hail, to Edison, Bell and Marconi, to this glorious electrical age-
Sing together, this song of glory, as united we turn a new page;
Hail to Milikan and to De Forest,
And to Einstein in this atomic world;
Scientists, Inventors, keep all your banners in front unfurled.
Sources
Hillinger, Charles “Inventor, 90 in No Hurry to Retire or Marry,” Los Angeles Times, February 11, 1974.
Vonier, Chester. “The Inventor’s Lot Is Not Alas, a Happy One,” Los Angeles Times, May 3, 1949.
Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated Sheet Music, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
