Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

In 1954, Brown vs. the Board of Education desegregated public education in the United States, including nursing education. However, hospitals remained segregated well into the 1960’s with different entrances for “whites” and “colored” as well as different waiting rooms, care units, nursing staffs, and even separate storage in the blood bank. Oh, what a dreadful day it would be if a white man received a black man’s blood!

I cannot imagine the scene I just wrote. It is even harder for me to comprehend how this all occurred in the not-so-distant-past. I’m not a nursing historian by any stretch of the imagination, but I have spent most of today – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – contemplating Dr. King, nursing, African-American nurses, and suffrage.

I am so very thankful for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I cannot imagine my life, nor my nursing, without his influence. I became a charge nurse six months after passing the NCLEX simply because I had “BSN” behind my name. I worked night shift with an amazing group of nurses and nurse aides. I still remember my first night as their charge nurse; I was 22. Two of my team that night – a LVN and an aide – had been caring for people longer than I had been alive. I felt nauseous. I stood at the Pyxis, and I literally prayed for all 24 of the hem/onc patients on the unit. God, please don’t let anyone code tonight. No doubt they saw my fear because a few moments later, Mrs. C. – the most experienced nurse – came over and said, “It’ gonna be a great night. Let me know if you need anything. I’ve got you – anything you need – I’ve got you.” Her words were like audible lorazepam. And how true they were.

Mrs. C. was there for me on more occasions than I can count. She and the other night crew members gave me grace to grow, followed my lead, and redirected me when I lost my focus. I don’t believe those ladies will ever know the influence they had and continue to have over my nursing. Did I mention – the night shift crew was 80% African-American? The thought of us not sharing those experiences and working alongside one another simply because of the color of our skin makes me nauseous. Again.

My mind flails trying to imagine African-American women and men choosing a career of altruism via nursing or medicine during a time of such fierce hatred and inequality. Thankfully, they did, though. Thankfully, they did.