Mary Eliza Mahoney (1845-1926) was the first African American woman to become a registered nurse. Born in Boston, she graduated from the New England Hospital for Women and Children in 1879 and went on to have a successful career as a private nurse. She was a civil rights and suffrage activist and became one of the first women in Massachusetts to vote in 1920. As a member of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, Mahoney helped organize their first convention in Boston in 1909 and gave the opening greeting. In 1936, the National Association for Colored Graduate Nurses founded the Mary Mahoney Award in honor of her achievements. This award is given to nurses or groups of nurses who promote
integration within their field. In 1993 Mahoney was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. This site is now known as “Fresenius Kidney Care Roxbury”. More information on Mahoney’s life and impact.
