She was a friend of Thomas Edison’s son Theodore, a champion of assistive technologies, and one of the 20th Century’s great African American inventors. Bessie Blount was born in Virginia in 1914.
She was not initially recognized in the United States for her inventions but was recognized nationally in France and the United Kingdom. She was trained as a physical therapist. She worked with injured soldiers who had lost limbs during WWII and was inspired to invent an electronic feeding tube. It delivered food through a feeding tube which was controlled by biting on the tube. She also invented a portable receptacle holder that could be worn around a patient’s neck.
The American Veterans Administration was not interested in her invention so Bessie Blunt Griffin sold it to the French government. The second invention did receive a U.S. patent in 1951 (Patent Number 2,550,554). She and Theodore Edison became close friends and while in his home she invented the disposable cardboard emesis basin. This invention was also not accepted by the American Veterans Administration, so she sold it to Belgium.
She was a serial inventor, a passionate caregiver to injured soldiers, and a great woman. To learn more about Famous Black Inventors, click here. To register for updated curriculum, click here.
BKFK Inventive Thinking Blog 
My chid had to do a Black History poster on Bessie Blount. She and I had the hardest time trying to find different pictures of Mrs Bessie Blount. It is only one pose of her. Please post more pictures of her in different affairs for example her place of business when she went to work in law enforcement or when she went of the show Big Idea. And also when she was accepted in the Black Hall of Fame. Thank YOU
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Hi–My son (9th grade) is doing a research paper on Bessie Blount Griffin and if possible would love to correspond with Aaron Griffin, her youngest grandson. We noticed, while doing research on your grandmother, that you (Aaron Griffin) had left a note for someone else looking for photos. If you would be willing to perhaps share some of your remembrances with us, and any photos, my son could include you in the bibliography. My son is special ed so I have a special place in my heart for anyone who has done positive things to help the disabled. We appreciate any help you might be willing to give us! Thank you.Carol Hindle
Thankyou for the info. I’m doing a report on Ms. Blount and needed to know more than the little bit I had!
Hello,Anyone and/or Mr. Aaron Griffin,One of the boys here at Boys Town needs information and pictures of Bessie Blount Griffin. Could anyone e-mail anything to me. My number is 850-505-5775. We need it for a history report.ThanksDeirdre Sidney
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I also have to do a report on Bessie Blount Griffin. She is in my eyes a truley remarkable person and here is some of the report that I have put together so far. If anything seems wrong or out of place please let me know.:)Bessie Blount Griffin achieved many great inventions in her life. She was born in Hickory Virginia in November 24th, 1914. She studied Physical Education in Panzar College, New Jersey. After she successfully graduated college she moved to Chicago to complete her training and education. During world war two she worked with the injured soldiers and tried to recover them in her best ability. She noticed how hard it was for most of the badly injured patients to feed themselves. Her encounter with all of the soldiers inspired her to invent an electrically driven feeder. It was a device that had a feeder which delivered food one mouthful at a time to the people who were hurt in wheelchairs or in hospital beds. Every time they bit down onto the tube it would release the food into their mouth with the right amount so it wasn’t to much so that they would choke. Then she moved back to Newark, New Jersey and began teaching Physical Education at the Bronx hospital. She tried to market her device, but it was unsuccessful. Instead, she decided she would try and create another invention called the portable receptacle support. Its purpose was almost the same. It was a brace that would wrap around the patients neck and would support a bowl or dish, making it easier to eat or drink. She was also unable to market this successfully. And the Veteran’s Administration was disinterested in using it as well. She signed over the rights to her two inventions to the French government in 1952. She said that she was proud that she was able to invent two creations that were so useful to humankind and to be respected highly while being looked at wrong during the time for being of African-American Heritage. In 1969 Bessie Blount Griffin began conducting science research for police departments in New Jersey and Virginia. In 1977 she was sent to Scotland Yard in England for training. After she stopped working for all the police stations she started her own business using her forensic training experience to examine pre-civil war documents. She remained active in her business until she was 83.
Mr. Griffin,I am a special educator for children with mental handicaps at the middle school level. We did a powerpoint with information on your grandmother and put her on a bulletin board in our classroom. The students were interested in writing a letter or sending an email to Mrs. Griffin and would like some contact information. Please let us know if that is possible. Thank you,Bonnie LangPost Oak Middle SchoolSpotsylvania Virginia
My 10 year old daughter is the second of my four children to do a report on Mrs. Bessie Blount Griffin. It excites and inspires my children to see someone with the same last name as their’s do something that left a mark on our society today. I am in agreement with the first respondent who is looking for more pictures of Mrs. Griffin. My daughter also wanted to know more information about her childhood as well as if we are related to her. Blount is my married name and Griffin is my mom’s maiden name, so you see we think of her as family.Mrs. Teresa BlountJamaica, New York
My son, a 5th grade student, has a report due on Bessie Blount as did many others who posted comments here. We are having the same difficulity – getting pictures of this remarkable woman. If anyone can help me with pictures to add to his research, I would appreciate it. He is being graded on adding illustrations/pictures to his research, to be done on a tri-fold project board. So we have this huge project board and typed info., but no pics to add. His project is worth 126 points, and he was told to be creative. Anything at all would help. Thanks, and you can respond to my email address: gmrushing@cox.net.
hi i hope this doesnt come off the wrong way but i was wondering if you could tell me if ms.griffin passed or not. i admire her and im doing a report on her. i would love to get an answer from you asap thanx
She is alive
Mr. Griffin,I am a 4th grade teacher in Kansas. My class has become very interested in the life of Bessie Blount. They asked me to see if she would travel to Kansas to meet with them and show her inventions. You could respond to my email at gayleann52@yahoo.comThank you
Bessie Blount Griffin is alive. She is 94 years old and she is a very knowledgeable person.We spent two weeks together August 2008. We visited her place of birth and the place where she attended elementary school. As a relative of Mama Bessie, she taught me a lot about life in those two weeks. Her inventions and forensic work is amazing but to know her is special.
Thank you so much! I really needed this for a project in school. Thanks again!
I am La’Quissa Mason and am doing a report on Bessie Blount Griffin.
hi my name is laquissa mason and i am doing a report on Bessie and the project is do on tuesday or wednesday and i want to know from Aaron what does NAACP mean in your answer for someone and if you cant get back to me on this website then you can always get beck to me at laquissamason@aol.com and hope that you will reply to me either its on here or that you email me and please dont forget my name is laquissa mason and i really need a great grade on this so i can get m guatiar and please i hope you dont reply to me because of wat i want and if you think i am being selfish then i am sorry and if you dont reply then i am sorry again for wasting your time for you to read this and to get information from you and thanks again for your time reading this!!!!
i really love what Bessie Blunt did. i have a project due and i would really aprieate it if i had more pics. I cant seam to find much thanks
hi my name is chaidaye and iam doing a report on bessie blount.i cant find many pictures or information about her childhood is there a book or a website that would be able to help me with this.thank you
hi this is so&so asking for BESSIE BLOUNT GRIFFIN’S death. (YOU SEE I HAVE A BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROJECT DUE SOON AND I HAVE TO RIGHT THE DAY OF HER DEATH ALSO AND so&so on ……..) please and thank you
I do believe she has changed the world in many ways but how is anyone going to know if it isn’t put on the internet for people to see what her hard work has done for the places that actually accepted her inventions into their countries.
Well, I am glad Valencia. I’m the youngest grandson of Mama Bessie. I am so proud of her accomplishments. I actually had Temple University, my alma mater, meet her and possibly pursue seeing her inventions. Please respond and I will try to send some pics directly to you…..
Thank for the information