Mary J. Wilson

Mary Jeannette Wilson (2 January 1937 – 25 May 2020) was the first African-American senior zookeeper at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.[1]

Mary Jeannette Wilson
Born(1937-01-02)January 2, 1937
Baltimore, Maryland
DiedMay 25, 2020(2020-05-25) (aged 83)
EducationPaul Laurence Dunbar High School
OccupationZookeeper
EmployerMaryland Zoo
Known forFirst Black senior zookeeper in Baltimore

Early life

Mary J. Wilson was born in West Baltimore, Maryland.[2] She had two siblings, one older and one younger. Her parents were Willie Wilson and Mary Henry. Her mother Mary died of diphtheria when Wilson was only five years old.[2] She graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.[1]

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]

Death

In July 2019 Wilson started to show signs of Alzheimer's disease. On April 1, 2020 she moved to Genesis Healthcare Patapsco Valley Center in Randallstown, Maryland. On May 4, 2020 she was diagnosed with COVID-19, and was admitted to Northwest Hospital on May 8. She died on May 25 after being unresponsive for 14 days.[4] She was survived by her daughter, Sharron Wilson Jackson, who was the first African-American female senior zookeeper at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, in Omaha, Nebraska, and by a grandson, Felipe Herrara.[1][5]

References
  1. Leland, John (2020-06-02). "Mary J. Wilson, Barrier-Smashing Zookeeper, Dies at 83". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  2. Greenidge, Kaitlyn (2020-12-23). "Mary J. Wilson Was Baltimore's First Black Senior Zookeeper". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  3. Marsden, Harriet (2020-07-09). "Mary J Wilson: First black senior zookeeper at Maryland Zoo". The Independent. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  4. Rasmussen, Frederick N. "Mary J. Wilson, first African American senior zookeeper at the Baltimore Zoo, dies of the coronavirus". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  5. "Mary Wilson, 83, first Black senior zookeeper at Maryland Zoo". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
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