Mary Mahoney Research Paper

Early leaders in community health were advocates for vulnerable populations which contributed to the birth of public health nurses (PHN); these nurses played an essential part in improving health and social conditions in many communities (Kulbok, Thatcher, Park,& Meszaros, 2007). Nurse Mary Eliza Mahoney was one of those nurses serving the community and making a difference in the life of many. This young nurse marked history with many notable first achievements; there were considered first mainly because she was African-American descent in a racially prejudice era in our country. Mary Eliza Mahoney, an African-American woman born free on May 7, 1845, in Boston, Man; she was the oldest of three children and she never married (PBS, 2003). Mary dedicated her life to caring for others, as a young lady, she began to work as an untrained practical nurse, but she made career changes out of the field briefly due to financial constraints. She began working at New England Hospital for Women and Children. However, she had a variety of positions at this hospital; she worked as a maid, as a cook and a nursing assistant. Eventually, she was accepted into New England Hospital for Women and Children, nursing school in 1878, after fifteen years of employment the hospital and she was the first women of color to …show more content…
Nevertheless, not only was she a pioneer in nursing but spoke up for the civil rights of women. Nursing was just the beginning of her accomplished feats; Mary became the first African-American member of the American Association of Nurses (ANA) in 1896 (PBS, 2003). Also, she co-founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) in 1908 which later emerged with ANA (PBS, 2003). ANA established an annual award, the Mary Mahoney Medal, in her honor; this award is for excellence in