Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner Within Black History Month
By: Jayden Goodman
Monday, February 1st was the first day of Black History Month. It runs all the way through the month of February and ends on March 1st. Before President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, it started as “Negro History Week” which started in 1926 by an African American historian, scholar, educator and publisher, Carter G. Woodson. Black History month is February as it goes along with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. A number of people are celebrated and recognized throughout this month, one that has caught my eye is Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner.
Kenner comes from a family of inventors. She was born on May 17, 1912 and passed on January 13, 2006. Kenner wasn’t a kind of girl that invented one thing and was satisfied. In her lifetime, she received five patents through the years 1956 and 1987. Her patents were: a carrier attachment for an invalid walker (1959), a bathroom tissue holder (1982), and a back washer mounted on a shower wall and bathtub (1987). Most of these inventions were in her 40s, but she started when she was nearly six and tried to invent a self-oiling door hinge.
Even though it looks like Kenner had it well off and was very successful, she had a lot of obstacles to overcome. She attended Howard University but unfortunately had to drop out after a year and a half for financial reasons. Giving up wasn’t an option, so she took any jobs she could get. Inventing on the side, she got her first patent in 1957 for her most famous invention, the sanitary belt. This was exciting, yet she couldn’t afford the patent. The Sonn-Nap-Pack Company heard of her invention in 1957 and contacted her trying to market her invention, however when they discovered that she was Black, they declined.
Kenner wasn’t rewarded or given formal recognition for her work, but her intentions helped pave the way for more inventions and Black women inventors. Kenner still holds the record for the greatest number of patents awarded to a Black woman by the U.S. government. We have gotten so far, but not far enough. Each day outside Black History month should also be a day for learning for and advocating for change.
I believe that it is important to focus on Black women during this month. We know a lot about male inventors and don’t know the names of the female inventors. Now you could look at Kizzmekia Corbett PhD. who worked directly to create and produce the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. We need to start saying the names of women of all races and get their names heard. We the people have the power to change history as were still learning about the past. Black History month is about educating and understanding.