Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner
1912 - 2006
Inventor
Personal Information
Born: 1912
Died: 2006
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: Black
Education
Howard University 1.5 years, no degree
Professional Life
Field of Study: Inventor
Institution/Corporation: none
Degrees & Memberships: none
Awards & Achievements
Awards: none
Achievements: was a professional floral arranger; owned 4 flower shops in D.C.
African-american inventor with no formal training
Fought racism her entire life
Raised 5 foster children
Invented a sanitary belt & bathroom tissue holder
Filed 5 patents during her lifetime, more than any other African-American female in history
Racial discrimination caused her patent for the sanitary belt to be prevented for 30 years
Unable to finish college due to financial problems
chaperoned young women to attend military base dances in the D.C. area