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246 unit 3 | Professional Issues CikguOnline
organized meetings.In 1921 she organized the Birth Contribution to Nursing
Control Conference in New York (Kalisch &
Mahoney recognized the need for nurses to work
Kalisch, 2004). In 1928 she established the National
together to advance the status of black nurses with-
Committee on Federal Legislation for Birth
in the profession. In 1896 Mahoney became one of
Control, which eventually became the Planned
the original members of the predominately white
Parenthood Foundation. Sanger was also an accom-
Nurses Associated Alumnae of the United States
plished author, writing What Every Girl Should
and Canada (later known as the American Nurses
Know, What Every Mother Should Know, and
Association [ANA]). She cofounded the National
Motherhood in Bondage.
Association of Colored Graduate Nurses
Conservative religious and political groups were
(NACGN). Mahoney delivered the welcoming
the most vocal in their opposition to Sanger’s work.
speech at the first convention of the NACGN and
In the end, however, Sanger won. Planned
served as its national chaplain.
Parenthood is a thriving organization, and birth
Mahoney died on January 4, 1926, and was
control information is available to anyone who
buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett,
seeks it, although some groups oppose its availabil-
Massachusetts. In 1936, the NACGN created an
ity on religious or political grounds.
award in her honor for women who contributed to
Sanger could fairly be labeled an early example
racial integration in nursing. After the NACGN
of the liberated woman. She was independent and
was dissolved in 1951, the ANA continued to offer
assertive during a time when it was considered
this award to black women. In 1976, 50 years after
politically incorrect for a woman to behave that
her death, Mary Eliza Mahoney was inducted into
way. Her tenacity and her ability to bring the needs
the Nursing Hall of Fame.
of the poor to society’s attention represented that
When she entered nurse’s training, Mahoney
part of caring that operates in the political arena to
never envisioned how her simple act of becoming a
bring about change to improve people’s health and
nurse would change the status of black nurses and
save lives.
help them to attain leadership positions within the
profession. Her dedication and effort have been
Mary Eliza Mahoney
an inspiration to many men and women of color
who became dedicated members of the nursing
Background
profession.
Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first African-American
registered nurse (RN) in the United States. She was
born on May 7, 1845, in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Mildred Montag
She grew up in Roxbury with her parents and
showed an interest in nursing during her adoles- Meeting the Need With
cence. She worked for 15 years at the New England Associate Degree Nurses
Hospital for Women and Children (now Dimock During World War II, a nursing shortage became
Community Health Center). She was a cook, a evident.To meet the demands for nurses, Congress
janitor, a washerwoman, and an unofficial nurse’s enacted the Bolton Act of 1943 creating the
assistant. United States Cadet Nurse Corps. Under the
In 1878, at the age of 33, she applied to the Bolton Act, nurses could be educated in fewer than
hospital’s nursing program and was accepted as a 3 years but perform the same nursing duties as their
student. She spent her training days washing, counterparts from the traditional 3-year diploma
ironing, and cleaning, expected competencies of schools (Applegate, 1988). Mildred Montag devel-
that time. Sixteen months later, of the 43 students oped such a program at Adelphi University.
who began the rigorous course, Mary and After the war, federal funds were withdrawn, and
4 white students were the only ones who com- the numbers of graduates declined.The acute nursing
pleted it. After graduation she worked mostly as shortage continued.The time for a change in nursing
a private duty nurse. She ended her nursing education had come. The postwar era created other
career as director of an orphanage in Long Island, job opportunities for women, and hospital-based
New York, a position she had held for a decade. diploma school was not a popular career choice. The
She never married. health-care delivery system was disease-oriented.