Mary Eliza Mahoney was a trailblazer who loved taking care of others! For fifteen years, she worked at a hospital in Boston, cooking, cleaning, and doing whatever she could to help the patients feel comfortable. But Mary wanted to do even more, so she decided to go to nursing school to learn everything she could about being a professional nurse!
In 1879, Mary did something incredible by becoming the very first African American woman in the United States to graduate from a professional nursing school! She was known for being so kind, gentle, and patient with everyone she helped. Mary spent her life taking care of sick people and fighting to make sure that all nurses were treated fairly, no matter what they looked like!
