Mary Eliza Mahoney made her mark in history by becoming the first professionally trained black nurse in America in 1879. History lets us know that she was not the first black nurse in America, as black women and women of color historically helped to heal the sick and injured long before Mary became a professional nurse. In fact, 15 years before she became professionally licensed, Mary worked at the New England Hospital for Women and Children before she was accepted into their professional training program.
Mary was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1845. Her parents moved to Massachusetts from North Carolina before the Civil War with hopes of a life with less racial hardship. At age 10, she was admitted to the Phillips School, which was one of the first integrated schools in Boston. The Phillips school was known for teaching its students the value of morality and humanity, which has been said to have influenced Mary’s interest in nursing at an early age.
At the age of 33, Mary enrolled in the nursing program at the New England Hospital for Women and Children, after having worked there since she as 18 years old as a cook, maid, and washerwoman. She graduated from the program in 1879, after completing the rigorous training that consisted of 15+ hour days.
Mary inspired both nurses and patients with her calm, quiet demeanor. Her legendary bedside manner won her positions with the most prestigious families along the East Coast. In a time when many trained nurses were treated as house servants, Mahoney refused to be sequestered in servants’ quarters. She instead ate alongside her patients and their families at their own dinner tables.
Throughout her life, Mary was known as an important figure in the fight for basic human rights. She fought to legitimize the role of black women in nursing and pushed for the inclusion of black women in groups like the American Nurses Association. Mary was also concerned with women’s equality and was a strong supporter of women’s suffrage and Civil Rights. In fact, at the age of 74, Mary was one of the first women in Boston to register to vote.
Mary Eliza Mahoney passed in 1926 at the age of 80. To this day, visitors and admirers visit her gravesite, located in Massachusetts. The American Nursing Association honors Mary by giving an award dedicated to her memory to members who focus on easing racial obstacles. She also earned a place in both the Nursing Hall of Fame and the National Women’s Hall of Fame for her lifetime devotion to nursing and women’s rights.
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