Mary Eliza Mahoney

Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first African American woman to earn a professional nursing license in the United States. Graduating in 1879 from the New England Hospital for Women and Children, she broke racial barriers in a predominantly white profession. Beyond her nursing career, Mahoney advocated for the inclusion of Black nurses in the healthcare field and was an active member of the Nurses’ Associated Alumnae of the United States, which later became the American Nurses Association. Her legacy continues to inspire efforts toward diversity and equity in nursing and healthcare professions.