First African American woman to hold five United States patents.

Still not as well known as she deserves to be.

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— EXTENDED SECTIONS —

The History of Patent Protection and Race in America

The United States patent system has, since its founding, operated on principles of formal equality while existing within a social order that was deeply unequal.

Understanding this tension is essential for understanding why Mary Kenner’s achievements were legally protected but commercially vulnerable.

The Patent Act of 1790, the first patent legislation in American history, established the basic framework: a novel and useful invention, properly documented and filed, would receive a patent granting the inventor exclusive rights to manufacture, use, and sell the invention for a specified term.