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