Una 602 Unti 2 Assignment Blog Mary Eliza Mahoney June 30, 2009

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Mary Mahoney was an African-

American who was born free on May

7, 1845 in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

She became interested in becoming a

nurse as a teenager. Her parents were

Charles and Mary Mahoney of Roxbury.

Mary decided she would not go into

domestic work and began to work at the

hospital.

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Mary worked for the New England

Hospital for Women and Children as a

cook, janitor, washerwoman and an

unofficial nurse’s assistant until she

decided in to enroll in the nursing

program at the hospital. She thirty-three

years old when she was accepted into the

hospitals nursing program.

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Mary left the hospital after

receiving her diploma to

become a private duty

nurse. Where she traveled

from home to home

providing care. She

promoted the idea of nurses

providing nursing care to

the sick and not spending

their time doing chores

around the house

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In 1896 she became one of

the few black members of

the American Nursing

Association (ANA). In

1908 she helped cofound

and became an active

member of the National

Association of Colored

Graduate Nurses. She

gave the opening address

at the organizations first

convention and in 1911

she served as the chaplain.

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She was a major advocate in the

women's suffrage and was believed

to be first in line to register to vote in

Boston in 1921 after the 19th

Amendment was passed. She

remained a big supporter not only to

the advancements of blacks but also

the advancement of women.

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In 1923 Mary was still

practicing as a nurse

when she was diagnosed

with breast cancer. She

continued to provide

nursing care until her

death in 1926.

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In 1936 the National Association of colored Graduate Nurses set up an award called the Mary Mahoney Medal in honor of her contributions to the advancement of her race.

In 1951 the NACGN merged with the American Nursing Association.

In 1976 she was inducted into the Nursing Hall of Fame.

In 1993 she was inducted into the National Women Hall of Fame.

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Mary Eliza Mahoney realized there was a need for black nurses to work together as a team to improve the status of African-Americans in the nursing profession. She was able to make a difference in this area and laid the foundation for the advancements of blacks in the nursing career field. She was admired and respected by the black and white community for contributions to the nursing and women’s suffrage movements.

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Mahoney was responsible for nurses to be received at the white house by President Warren G. Harding. She is noted as being the inspiration to thousands of men and women of color in the nursing profession.

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National Women’s Hall of Fame. ( unknown). Women of the hall: Mary

Mahoney. Retrieved June 25, 2009 from

http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php?action=viewone&id=103

Bridgewater State College. (2004). Expect More. Achieve More. Retrieved

June 25, 2009 from http://www.bridgew.edu/HOBA/Mahoney.cfm

Essortment.com. (2009). Mary Eliza Mahoney: first African-American

graduate nurse. Retrieved June 25,2009 from

http://www.essortment.com/all/maryelizamahon_rzuc.htm

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