We want to honor historical Black nurses by relaying their stories and educating others on their remarkable contributions to the field. 

Even before they were allowed equal access to education, early African Americans showed a dedication to patient care and a willingness to defy the odds in order to serve as healers and nurses throughout the United States. 

This Black History Month we present 12 Black nurses who changed the world and positively impacted the nursing profession. 

Mary Eliza Mahoney (1845-1926) — first Black woman in the U.S. to earn a professional nursing license

Mary Eliza Mahoney refused to let racial restrictions prevent her from obtaining a formal nursing education. While many African Americans worked as nurses before her, Mary defied the odds and became the first Black registered nurse when she successfully graduated from a training program in 1879. 

According to records, the program that Mary endured was so difficult that only 3 of the 40 students enrolled in the program graduated that year. Her stamina, compassion, and commitment to patient care helped Mary prove that African Americans could excel in the nursing profession — changing the course of history. 

Mary continued to champion equal access to nursing education throughout her life and went on to co-found the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses in 1908. The American Nurses Association established the Mary Mahoney Award in 1936, awarded to nurses who go above and beyond in their efforts to create equal opportunities for minorities in nursing, in her honor.   

Harriet Tubman (1822-1913) — conductor of the underground railroad who also acted as a nurse during the Civil War

Harriet Tubman is known throughout the world as a woman who continuously risked her life to free more than 300 others from the horrors of slavery that she personally endured earlier in life. What you may not know is that Harriet also served as nurse. 

During the Civil War, her knowledge of herbal medicine helped cure many soldiers suffering from dysentery and smallpox. The nursing care she provided was so instrumental in saving lives that several Union officers came to her aid to request that Congress issue her a pension after the war. In 1899, Harriet was issued a pension for her service as a nurse. 

Her passion for patient care continued after the end of the war. She established the “Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged and Indigent Negroes” in 1908 and she worked to care for the home’s residents until she died in 1913. 

Adah Belle Thoms (1870-1943) — co-founder of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses who fought for Black nurses to serve in the American Red Cross during WWI

Adah Belle Thoms fought tirelessly for the equality of and rights of professional Black nurses. She graduated from the Lincoln Hospital and Home School of Nursing in 1905, and became the “Acting Director” of the school the following year. She held this position for 18 years, but was prevented from ever officially holding the title of “Director” because of racial prejudice. 

Adah co-founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses and served as president of the organization from 1916-1923. Later she successfully lobbied for Black nurses to be able to serve in the American Red Cross Nursing and Army Nurse Corps during WWI, going so far as to speak directly to President Warren G. Harding about the issue. 

In her book “Pathfinders: A History of the Progress of Colored Graduate Nurses”, Adah published the first history of Black nurses in America. She also became one of the first inductees into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame in 1976. 

Susie King Taylor (1848-1912) — selflessly nurses soldiers during the Civil War and wrote an autobiographical account of her time there 

Susie King Taylor worked as a volunteer for the Union Army during the American Civil War. She had many duties, but was primarily responsible for nursing the sick and injured. Even with her own health at risk Susie would sneak in quarantined tents and nurse men back to health from smallpox. 

Later in life, Susie wrote an autobiographical account of her experiences in the war titled Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33rd US Colored Troops.  This book was a reflection on her time there and the horrors she witnessed as a Black woman caring for Black soldiers who were giving their lives to the Union Army. 

Estelle Massey Osborne (1901-1981) — first Black nurse to earn a master’s degree in the U.S. and the first Black member of NYU’s College of Nursing faculty 

Throughout her career, Estelle Massey Osborne dedicated herself to improving the quality of education available to Black nurses. At the time she first entered nursing school, only 14 of the 1,300 nursing schools in the U.S. would admit Black students, and she made it her goal to improve the education options available to them. 

Estelle became a consultant for the National Nursing Council for War Services where she assisted in getting the color ban lifted for nursing opportunities with the US Army and Navy. She was as instrumental in efforts that nearly doubled the number of training schools that would accept Black students. 

She would go on to become the first Black nurse to earn a master’s degree in the United States, and then accepted a position as an assistant professor at New York University in 1946 — becoming the first Black faculty member hired by the school. Estelle also served as acting president of the National Association of Colored Graduates, as a delegate to the International Council of Nurses, and was a member of the ANA Board of Directors. 

Mary Elizabeth Carnegie (1916-2008) — advocate for quality nursing education, educator and author

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Carnegie worked as a nurse and educator. She was also an advocate for quality education and proper recognition of Black nurses. 

She served as the president of the American Academy of Nursing and was named a “Living Legend” of the Academy, which is the highest honor found in the nursing profession. She worked as a dean and professor at the School of Nursing at Florida A&M University and also chaired the American Nurse Association’s Minority Fellowship Program Advisory Committee. 

In her lifetime, she authored three editions of “The Path We Tread: Blacks in Nursing Worldwide, 1854-1994” and wrote more than 85 pieces including journals, chapters, and book forewords in addition to delivering more than 400 speeches. 

Hazel Johnson-Brown (1927-2011) — first Black chief of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and the first Black, female Brigadier General.

Hazel Johnson-Brown was an influential nurse educator and first Black, female Brigadier General in the United States Army as well as the first Black chief of the United States Army Nurse Corps.

Hazel enlisted just five years after President Truman moved to integrate the U.S. Armed Forces and eradicate discrimination. Despite being originally rejected from nursing school based on her race, she continued to advance her own education in her dedication to nursing. 

She became director of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing and was named Army Nurse of the Year on two different occasions. After retiring from the Army, Hazel began working as a professional nurse educator in her role as a professor of nursing at both Georgetown University and George Mason University. 

Betty Smith Williams (1929-present) — first Black nursing educator in California, co-founder of National Black Nurses Association 

Betty Smith Williams applied her belief that collective activism could impact change to her entire nursing career and paved a path for Black nurses across the country. She was the first Black individual to graduate from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. She was also the first Black individual to teach in a college or university in the state of California. 

Betty also co-founded the National Black Nurses Association in 1971 and served as the organization’s seventh president — working to provide avenues for Black nurses to improve the healthcare for African Americans. 

Bernadine Lacey (1932-2021) — nurse educator, clinician, and leader who was named a “Living Legend” by the American Academy of Nursing

Bernadine Lacey attended the only nursing school in her state that would admit Black students in order to achieve her goal of becoming a Registered Nurse. Her struggles against racism and prejudices inspired her to become a nurse educator and political activist. 

Bernadine became one the first Black nurses admitted to Georgetown University and after earning her degree, she became the founding director of the Western Michigan University Bronson School of Nursing. In 2014, she was named a “Living Legend” by the American Academy of Nursing—the highest honor bestowed by the organization. 

Eddie Bernice Johnson (1935-2023) — first RN elected to Congress and the first Black woman to serve as a Ranking Member of the Science, Space and Technology Committee

Eddie Bernice Johnson began her career as the first Black female chief psychiatric nurse in the Dallas VA Hospital and the firsts kept coming. After the Voting Rights Act of 1965 prevented discriminatory voting practices, Eddie became the first Black woman in Dallas to win a seat in the Texas House of Representatives. 

She was appointed by President Carter as the first Black woman to serve as regional director for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. And in 1992, she became the first registered nurse elected to Congress where she represented the 30th District of Texas. Eddie was also the first African American and first woman to serve as a ranking member of the Science, Space and Technology Committee. 

Beverly Malone (1948-present) — current President and CEO of the National League for Nursing, former federal deputy assistant secretary for health

Beverly Malone learned how to care for the sick and injured working alongside her grandmother who was a healer. She went on to become the first Black general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, and served two terms as the president of the American Nurses Association. 

Beverly obtained the highest position held by any nurse in the U.S. Government at the time when she was appointed as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ deputy assistant secretary of health. She is currently the CEO of the National League for Nursing, where she works to continue building a diverse nursing workforce and promotes excellence in nursing education. 

Ernest Grant (1958-present) — first male president of the American Nurses Association and Nurse of the Year

Ernest Grant is a former president of the American Nurses Association and served as the organization’s first male president in history. He is an internationally-known burn and fire safety expert, and was given the Nurse of the Year Award in 2002 following treatment of burn victims from the World Trade Center after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 

Ernest also worked as an adjunct faculty member at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing—working with undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Modern Healthcare recognized him by naming him as one of the “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” in 2020 and 2021, and one of the “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives” in 2021 and 2022.

This list includes only 12 of the remarkable Black nurses who have worked tirelessly to leave a lasting impact in the lives of patients and forever changed nursing in America. We invite you to leave a comment below and tell the story of other Black nurses both in the past and still working today. 

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