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Was Mary Walker really 121? Unpacking the story of two distinct historical figures

The claim that Mary Walker lived to be 121 years old refers to an African American woman named Mary Hardway Walker who died in Chattanooga in 1969. However, confusion often arises because another prominent historical figure, Civil War surgeon Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, also existed and is sometimes mistakenly associated with this longevity claim. This article clarifies the distinction between these two remarkable women and explains why the former's supercentenarian status is widely reported but unverified.