Mary Mahoney

Mary Eliza Mahoney
1845 - 1926

Mary Mahoney was born to free parents in Boston, Massachusetts. At a young age Mahoney was introduced to the concept of racial equality. This mindset was largely cultivated at the Phillips School in Boston, which was one of the first integrated schools in the country.

To fulfill her childhood dream of becoming a nurse, Mahoney worked at the New England Hospital for Women and Children. Mahoney was proud of the facility’s all woman physician staff. And she remained employed by the New England Hospital for Women and Children for 15 years. In those 15 years, Mahoney held different roles, serving as janitor, cook, and washer woman. After getting the opportunity to work as a nurse’s aide, Mahoney learned the essentials of the nursing profession.

The New England Hospital for Women and Children ran one of the country’s first nursing schools. Mahoney earned admission to the nursing graduate school in 1878. The intensive program provided students with firsthand hospital experience. Out of the 42 students that enrolled in the program in 1878, Mahoney was one of only four to finish the program 16 months later. This accomplishment made Mahoney the first African American in the US to earn a professional nursing license.

Once her training was complete, Mahoney opted for a nursing career in the private sector, due to the rampant racial discrimination. Mahoney’s patience and caring bedside manner set her apart and allowed her to grow a large contingent of wealthy clients.

To help provide opportunities for other Black nurses, Mahoney co-founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) in 1908. Mahoney served more than 40 years in the profession before finally retiring. In 1976, the American Hospital Association honored Mahoney by inducting her into their Hall of Fame.

Mahoney’s most prestigious honor came in 1993 when she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York