Originally from North Carolina, her parents were among the southern free blacks who moved north prior to the Civil War seeking a less racially discriminatory environment. This lead her to becoming the first African American licensed nurse. Graduate Nurses and Their Role in the Future of Nursing. The eldest of three siblings, Mahoney attended the Phillips Street School in Boston. Mary Eliza Mahoney She Saw Her Calling as Nursing by Victoria McAfee Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first black professional nurse in America. Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first black American professional nurse and pioneer, paved the way for future African American nurses. 8) The second trend I feel has an impact on me as an African American nurse. It was great to hear about Mary Mahoney and her impact on nursing! Mary's parents taught her at a very long age the importance of racial equality. Her parents, freed slaves, relocated from North Carolina prior to the Civil War. Mary Eliza Mahoney, America’s first black graduate nurse, was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts on May 7, 1845. https://www.sunsigns.org/famousbirthdays/d/profile/mary-mahoney She was the first African American to study in and work professionally as a nurse in the United States. “Every woman is a nurse” (Nightingale 1959 pg. Mary Eliza Mahoney. She was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, around May 7, 1845, the oldest of three children. Small in stature, but mighty in character, Mary Eliza Mahoney changed the face of professional nursing in the United States and has been recognized with numerous awards. MARY ELIZA MAHONEY By: Jazmin Saenz IMPORTANCE OF CONTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTION TO NURSING RESOURCES Mary was born into free slaves. Thank you!! Education is ongoing in the development of the nursing profession. She was born in 1845 in Boston, her parents however live in North Carolina before Boston. Mary Eliza Mahoney was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts on May 7, 1845. The development of the physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of an individual stems from education. Mary Eliza Mahoney was one of only four students to complete the rigorous graduate nursing program at the New England Hospital for Women and Children, making her the first Black licensed nurse. Her accomplishments have opened doors for other nurses of color who came after her.