Who were the nurses responsible for the advancement of African-American nursing?
In 1908 Martha Franklin founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, an organization that later merged with the American Nurses Association. Mamie Hale was instrumental in improving the education and qualifications for nurse midwives, thus decreasing the mortality rates of mothers and infants. Mary Mahoney, the first African-American professional nurse, encouraged nursing toward cultural diversity. Adah Belle Thomas was a public health nurse in the early 20th century who emphasized equal rights for African-American nurses in the Army Nurse Corps and the American Red Cross.
