Celebrating Black History Month

February 2020

February is Black History Month. All month long, we will be celebrating the life, achievements, and accomplishments of notable African Americans who paved the way for generations to follow. One remarkable African American is Mary Eliza Mahoney. Mary was the first African American woman to be trained as a nurse. She obtained her credentials in 1879 and worked for many years as a private care nurse.

She served for two years as director of an orphanage for African American children and helped start the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses in 1908. The association aimed to eliminate discrimination and celebrate nurses of all races for their professional accomplishments.

Mary Eliza Mahoney was a pioneer in her day. She would be so proud to see all the African American women currently working as CNAs, LPNs and RNs, as well as in other professions. Her dreams of equal opportunities for all people, regardless of gender and race, have come to fruition. Although there’s still more to be done, it’s unquestionable that Mary Mahoney’s legacy has changed American society for the better.