The Little-Known Story Of Mary Kenner, The First Black American Woman To Earn Five Patents
Her second patent, U.S.
Patent 3,294,291, was granted in 1966.
This patent covered an improved back washer — specifically, a washcloth holder that could be mounted on a shower wall or tub, allowing a person to wash their own back more effectively than was possible with a regular washcloth.
The device used a moistened cloth attached to a mounted holder that could be used without requiring unusual flexibility or the assistance of another person.
It was a practical, empathetic invention — one that considered the needs of people who lived alone, who had limited mobility, or who simply found back washing with a regular cloth cumbersome.