Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner was a groundbreaking Black American inventor who dedicated her life to creating tools that made everyday tasks easier and more dignified. She was born in 1912 in Monroe, North Carolina, into a family of inventors, and began designing solutions to problems at a very young age.

After moving to Washington, D.C. at age 12, Mary regularly visited the U.S. Patent Office to check whether her ideas already existed. Most of them did not. Her creativity and determination led her to file five patents, more than any other African American woman in U.S. history.

In 1956, Mary patented an elastic sanitary belt that securely held menstrual pads in place. At a time when most products were uncomfortable and unreliable, her design improved comfort, mobility, and protection. She later improved the design with a moisture proof pocket to prevent leaks.

Although companies showed interest in her invention, they withdrew support after learning she was Black. Because of racism, her patent expired, and manufacturers profited from her idea while she received no financial benefit.

Mary continued inventing despite these barriers. Inspired by her sister who had multiple sclerosis, she designed a walker attachment with a tray and storage. She also created accessible bathroom tools, including a wall-mounted back scrubber and a toilet paper holder designed to help people with arthritis and vision loss.

Throughout her life, Mary focused on solving real problems for real people. She never became wealthy from her work, but her inventions helped shape modern menstrual products and accessibility tools used today.

Save the date! On March 4–5, UMBC will host Black & Gold Rush, our annual Giving Days. During this 36-hour event, members of our community come together to support students, faculty, and programs across campus.

We invite you to join us in supporting our department during this special event. Your contribution makes a real difference for our current students. It helps support a wide range of undergraduate programs and initiatives that enrich student learning, development, and experiences. Thanks to donors like you, we can continue to celebrate and uplift the next generation.

Every gift matters, no matter the amount. Your generosity helps strengthen our academic community and student success.

To make a donation, please visit:
umbc.edu/blackandgoldrush

When completing the form, please type "Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health Department" in the Designation field to ensure your gift supports our department.

Thank you for being part of our community and for your continued support!

⚔️ Join the Mission ⚔️

Ready to put your security skills to the test?

On February 25th from 12-1pm in ILSB 233, students will step into the role of a DevSecOps team in a choose-your-own-adventure tabletop exercise. Through guided discussion, you'll work through realistic software security scenarios and decide how to respond to emerging threats.

Hosted in collaboration with CyberDawgs!

Think strategically. Respond decisively. Secure the system.