Without a Women: Evelyn Berezin & the First Electronic Word Processor

Long before laptops, cloud software, and AI-driven text editors, one woman was quietly transforming the way businesses worked and she did it at a time when the tech world was overwhelmingly male.

Evelyn Berezin, a pioneer in logic design and data transmission, saw the potential for technology to make everyday tasks more efficient. Frustrated by the limits placed on women in tech, she co-founded Redactron in 1969 with a vision: to create tools that could empower administrative professionals and streamline office work.

Her company’s breakthrough came in the form of the “Data Secretary,” widely recognized as the first electronic word processor for business use. Designed to simplify and accelerate secretarial work, the device allowed users to edit, store, and reproduce text electronically, a revolutionary concept at the time.

By combining her expertise in computing with a keen understanding of the office environment, Berezin didn’t just build a machine; she created a tool that expanded the possibilities of women’s work in professional settings.

Berezin’s invention laid the groundwork for modern word processing and office automation, proving that innovation often comes from those who challenge the status quo. Today, every keyboard we type on and every document we send owes a quiet debt to her vision.

In a field historically dominated by men, Evelyn Berezin showed that women could not only participate in technology, they could lead, innovate, and redefine entire industries.

Her legacy is a reminder: the tools we take for granted today often began with the determination, expertise, and ingenuity of women daring to imagine something better.