Mary Eliza Mahoney was born on May 7, 1845 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. At the age of 33 she became the first African American graduate nurse. Mahoney began training as a nurse at New England Hospital. She remained steadfast and endured a 16 month program that was demanding with a difficult course load. The would be class of nurses started out with 40 students, however, only 4 students completed the course work. On August 1, 1879 Mahoney became the first African American to receive a diploma of nursing.

After graduation, Mahoney registered to be a private duty nurse. During this time period in the history of nursing, nurses were expected to perform domestic work as well as their nursing duties. Mahoney elevated the profession of nursing by refusing to work as a domestic. Her commitment to her patients was to provided excellent nursing care. Her skills as a nurse were so legendary that patients from states as far as New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina requested her compassionate care.

On January 4, 1926 Mahoney departed this life after suffering with breast cancer. In 1936 the National Association of Colored Graduated Nurses, which she co-founded in 1908, established the Mary Eliza Mahoney Award. In 1951 the NACGN merged with the American Nurses Association which continued the tradition of awarding this prestigious honor.

This Black History month I salute Mary Eliza Mahoney for her courage to stay the course. Because of her, the path she paved made my dream of becoming a nurse a reality.

Who do you salute this month for paving your path?