{{short description|American inventor (1912–2006)}} {{about||the Canadian figure skater|Mary Kenner (figure skater)}} {{Infobox person | name = Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner | image = Mary_Beatrice_Davidson_Kenner_died_2006.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = May 17, 1912 | birth_place = Monroe, North Carolina, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2006|1|13|1912|5|17}} Washington, D.C., U.S. | death_place = | death_cause = | other_names = | known_for = singing, inventions | education = | employer = | occupation = Florist | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = Sidney Nathaniel Davidson | relatives = Mildred Davidson Austin Smith | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner''' (May 17, 1912 – January 13, 2006) was an African American inventor who created an adjustable sanitary belt.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Hambrick|first=Arlene|date=1993|title=Biographies of black female scientists and inventors: an interdisciplinary middle school curriculum guide: "What shall I tell my children who are black?"|url=https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5985&context=dissertations_1|journal=ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst|pages=132–144|via=Google Scholar}}</ref> to keep menstrual pads securely in place. She has been granted five patents in between 1956 and 1987, one of the highest totals awarded to an African American female inventor<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref>. All of her inventions provided solutions to common household and personal care issues; including improving menstrual hygiene products<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref>. thumb|The Sanitary Belt
==Early life, Education, and Career== Kenner was born in Monroe, North Carolina<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rye |first=Alex |date=2020-09-28 |title=Mary Kenner (1912-2006) |url=https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/mary-kenner-1912-2006/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=BlackPast.org |language=en-US}}</ref>. Her father, Sidney Nathaniel Davison, had patented a compact clothing presser in 1914.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rye |first=Alex |date=2020-09-28 |title=Mary Kenner (1912-2006) |url=https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/mary-kenner-1912-2006/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=BlackPast.org |language=en-US}}</ref> Her maternal grandfather, Robert Phromeberger, held patents for a tricolor light signals for trains and a wheeled ambulance stretcher.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rye |first=Alex |date=2020-09-28 |title=Mary Kenner (1912-2006) |url=https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/mary-kenner-1912-2006/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=BlackPast.org |language=en-US}}</ref> Her sister, Mildred Davidson Austin Smith would go on to hold a patent for a family board game in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rye |first=Alex |date=2020-09-28 |title=Mary Kenner (1912-2006) |url=https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/mary-kenner-1912-2006/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=BlackPast.org |language=en-US}}</ref> At age six Kenner tried to create a self oiling door hinge because every morning she heard the squeak of the front door.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tsjeng |first=Zing |date=2018-03-08 |title=The Forgotten Black Woman Inventor Who Revolutionized Menstrual Pads |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner-sanitary-belt/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}</ref> After moving to Washington, DC in 1924 Kenner became familiarized with the USPTO and the filing patent applications.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref>
Kenner attended Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. graduating in 1931.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> Kenner enrolled at Howard University however left after 18 months of schooling due to financial reasons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> Kenner never earned a college degree nor formal education or training in her profession.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tsjeng |first=Zing |date=2018-03-08 |title=The Forgotten Black Woman Inventor Who Revolutionized Menstrual Pads |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner-sanitary-belt/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}</ref>
After leaving Howard University, Kenner worked various jobs before becoming unemployed by federal government during WWII.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> By 1950 Kenner became a professional florist and ran multiple flower shops in the Washington, D.C. area for around 20 years. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> During this time, she continued to develop new inventions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref>
==Inventions== Previous designs for managing menstruation included cloth pads and early disposable products. However, many of these designs lacked secure fasteners resulting in pad shifting and leakage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black History Month Spotlight: Mary Kenner, the Unsung Pioneer of Women's Health |url=https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner,%20https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=withinhealth.com |language=en}}</ref> Disposable adhesive pads were not widely available until the 1970s. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Black History Month Spotlight: Mary Kenner, the Unsung Pioneer of Women's Health |url=https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner,%20https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=withinhealth.com |language=en}}</ref> Initially, Kenner designed a sanitary belt in the 1920s however could not afford to apply for a patent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rye |first=Alex |date=2020-09-28 |title=Mary Kenner (1912-2006) |url=https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/mary-kenner-1912-2006/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=BlackPast.org |language=en-US}}</ref> She filed for a patent in 1954 and it was approved in 1956.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref>The device consisted of an adjustable waist band with straps attached to secure a sanitary pad to the user. This allowed users to move about while maintaining proper placement of the pad and lessened leakage and irritation caused by previous products.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> A subsequent revision modified the design to include a pocket resistant to moisture to minimize further leakage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tsjeng |first=Zing |date=2018-03-08 |title=The Forgotten Black Woman Inventor Who Revolutionized Menstrual Pads |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner-sanitary-belt/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}</ref>
Sonn-Nap-Pack Co. contacted Kenner regarding potential licensing agreements for the sale of the product. When they learned that she was Black, they rescinded their offer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rye |first=Alex |date=2020-09-28 |title=Mary Kenner (1912-2006) |url=https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/mary-kenner-1912-2006/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=BlackPast.org |language=en-US}}</ref> Kenner stated of the incident: "I was so jubilant... I saw houses, cars, and everything about to come my way. Sorry to say, when they found out I was Black, their interest dropped." <ref>{{Cite web |last=Tsjeng |first=Zing |date=2018-03-08 |title=The Forgotten Black Woman Inventor Who Revolutionized Menstrual Pads |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner-sanitary-belt/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}</ref> Due to the fact that the patent expired and entered the public domain, Kenner lost all rights to profit off of the design. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref>.
In 1976, Kenner applied for and was granted a patent for an attachment to walkers and wheelchairs containing a hard surface tray and soft storage pocket.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> This invention was partially inspired by her sister Mildred being diagnosed with multiple scelerosis.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> Kenner co-patented a bathroom tissue holder with her sister in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rye |first=Alex |date=2020-09-28 |title=Mary Kenner (1912-2006) |url=https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/mary-kenner-1912-2006/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=BlackPast.org |language=en-US}}</ref> On September 29, 1987 Kenner was granted her last patent for a back washer that can be installed onto either a shower or bathtub wall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref>
==Legacy== Kenner's sanitary belt introduced adjustable securing mechanisms and moisture resistance into menstrual product design.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black History Month Spotlight: Mary Kenner, the Unsung Pioneer of Women's Health |url=https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner,%20https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=withinhealth.com |language=en}}</ref> The belt itself became obsolete following the widespread adoption of adhesive sanitary pads in the 1970s, however the core features it introduced; adjustability, secure pad placement, and moisture control were carried forward into modern menstrual products.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black History Month Spotlight: Mary Kenner, the Unsung Pioneer of Women's Health |url=https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner,%20https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=withinhealth.com |language=en}}</ref> Disposable pads with adhesive backing, which became the global standard for menstrual hygiene, reflect developments that Kenner's designs helped establish.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black History Month Spotlight: Mary Kenner, the Unsung Pioneer of Women's Health |url=https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner,%20https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/mary-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=withinhealth.com |language=en}}</ref> Kenner received no formal awards or public recognition during her lifetime.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> She died on January 13, 2006 in Washington D.C. at the age of 93.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref>
== See also == * List of African-American inventors and scientists * Timeline of United States inventions
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * Blashfield, Jean F. (1996) ''Women inventors''. Minneapolis: Capstone Press. Vol. 4, pp. 11–16 * Jeffrey, Laura S. (September 1, 2013) ''Amazing American Inventors of the 20th Century''. Enslow Publishers, pp 29–35 * Sluby, Patricia C. (2004) ''The Inventive Spirit of African Americans: Patented Ingenuity''. Westport, Conn: Praeger, pp 147–150 * Women Inventors. Women Inventors | NCpedia, 2011, www.ncpedia.org/industry/women-inventors.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenner, Mary Beatrice Davidson}} Category:African-American inventors Category:20th-century American women inventors Category:1912 births Category:2006 deaths Category:20th-century American inventors Category:20th-century African-American businesspeople Category:21st-century African-American people Category:20th-century African-American women Category:21st-century African-American women Category:People from Charlotte, North Carolina Category:Inventors from Washington, D.C. Category:Inventors from North Carolina Category:20th-century American businesswomen Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:Businesspeople from Washington, D.C. Category:Businesspeople from North Carolina Category:African-American women inventors