Frye, Clara
1872-1936 · Contribution: 1907
Patented combination bed and bedpan device; founded a hospital for Black patients in Tampa
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Beyond her patented medical device, Frye founded what became Clara Frye Memorial Hospital in Tampa, Florida, one of the only hospitals serving Black patients in the region during the segregation era.
Life & background
A nurse and inventor, Frye patented a combination bed and bedpan device in 1907 to improve patient care and dignity. She went on to found a hospital in Tampa, Florida, that served Black patients who were turned away from segregated facilities, a hospital that operated for decades and was later named in her honor.
Sources
- Florida Women's Hall of Fame; Tampa Historical Society (Clara C. Frye historical marker)
More in Science & Medicine
Alcorn, George Edward Jr.
1940-2024
Imaging X-ray spectrometer fabrication method
Alexander, Claudia
1959-2015
Planetary science mission leadership
Amos, Harold
1918-2003
Microbiology research and mentorship
Arinzeh, Treena Livingston
unknown
Developed the first Tissue Engineering and Applied Biomaterials Laboratory at the New Jersey Institute of Technology