February is Black History Month, and if you’re in healthcare, this is your moment to learn about some true trailblazers.
Black History Month started as Black History Week back in 1926, thanks to historian Carter G. Woodson. He picked February because it lined up with Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’s birthdays. In 1976, President Gerald Ford made it official for the whole month.
Now every February, we get to pause and celebrate the contributions of African Americans who shaped this country, including some nursing pioneers who deserve way more recognition than they get.
Let’s talk about a few trailblazers you need to know:
Mary Eliza Mahoney became the first Black licensed nurse in America in 1879. Think about what that meant: the obstacles, the discrimination, the doors that were slammed in her face. She pushed through it all and opened up the profession for everyone who came after her.
Harriet Tubman wasn’t just the conductor of the Underground Railroad (though that alone is incredible). During the Civil War, she worked as a nurse and scout, treating wounded soldiers and continuing her fight for freedom at the same time. An absolute icon.
Mabel Keaton Staupers spent years fighting to get Black nurses into the military during World War II. The Army Nurse Corps and Navy Nurse Corps had racist policies keeping them out, and she wasn’t having it. Thanks to her relentless advocacy, those barriers finally came down.
Then there were the “Black Angels” of the 1940s, Black nurses who were instrumental in fighting tuberculosis when it was one of the deadliest diseases in the country. They showed up, did the work and helped turn the tide.
And today? Black nurses are still leading the way. They’re using social media to educate communities, advocating for health equity and pushing healthcare forward in ways big and small.
If you’re a travel nurse, you know what it’s like to step into new places and adapt quickly. You see firsthand the communities that need support, the hospitals facing shortages and the patients who deserve better care.
The nurses we’re celebrating this month? They did the same thing, but under circumstances we can’t even imagine. They faced segregation, were denied opportunities and still showed up to care for people who didn’t always respect them.
Their fight for equality made healthcare more accessible and fair for everyone. And that work continues today, in part because of nurses like you.
This February, take a few minutes to learn these names. Share their stories with your coworkers. Talk about them with your patients. Let their resilience and courage inspire the way you show up every day.
Because when we honor the past, we build a better future, one shift at a time.
Want to learn more? Check out our previous Black History Month posts for more inspiring stories and healthcare pioneers.
