Mary J. Wilson
Mary Jeannette Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 2, 1937 Maryland Zoo |
| Known for | First Black senior zookeeper in Baltimore |
Mary Jeannette Wilson (January 2, 1937 – May 25, 2020) was the first African-American senior zookeeper at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.[1]
Early life
Mary J. Wilson was born in West Baltimore, Maryland.
Career
Wilson began working at the then Baltimore Zoo in 1961. She was hired by Arthur R. Watson, who was head of the zoo from 1948 until 1980.[3] While most women zookeepers at the time were assigned to work with smaller animals, Wilson worked with mammals from the beginning of her career, specializing in gorillas, cats and elephants.[2] She was known for bringing home baby animals to care for them.[3] She retired in 1999 after working 38 years at the zoo.[4] The zoo still has two otters named after her: Mary and Wilson.[3]
Health and death
In July 2019, Wilson began to show signs of Alzheimer's disease.
On April 1, 2020, she moved to Genesis Healthcare Patapsco Valley Center in
References
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ a b c Marsden, Harriet (July 9, 2020). "Mary J Wilson: First black senior zookeeper at Maryland Zoo". The Independent. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ a b Rasmussen, Frederick N. (May 26, 2020). "Mary J. Wilson, first African American senior zookeeper at the Baltimore Zoo, dies of the coronavirus". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
- ^ "Mary Wilson, 83, first Black senior zookeeper at Maryland Zoo". The Philadelphia Tribune. May 29, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.