Mabel Keaton Staupers

Mabel Keaton Staupers

Mabel Keaton Staupers (February 27, 1890 – November 29, 1989) was a pioneering African American nurse and activist who played a significant role in the fight against racial discrimination in the nursing profession in the United States. Her efforts were instrumental in integrating the American Nurses Association (ANA) and in the inclusion of African American nurses in the United States Army Nurse Corps during World War II.

Early Life and Education

Mabel Doyle Keaton was born in Barbados to Joseph T. and Ursilla A. Doyle Keaton. In pursuit of better opportunities, her family migrated to the United States, settling in New York City. Staupers pursued her nursing education at the Freedmen's Hospital School of Nursing in Washington, D.C., now known as Howard University College of Nursing, where she graduated in 1917.

Career

After her graduation, Staupers began her career in a public health position at the Harlem Hospital in New York. Her work in Harlem, a neighborhood with a significant African American population, exposed her to the racial inequalities that plagued the healthcare system. This experience galvanized her commitment to civil rights and healthcare equality.

In 1934, Staupers became the executive secretary of the Harlem Tuberculosis Committee, where she led successful public health campaigns. Her leadership skills were further recognized when she was appointed as the executive secretary of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) in 1940. In this role, Staupers embarked on a nationwide campaign to end racial discrimination in the nursing profession.

Advocacy and Achievements

One of Staupers' most notable achievements was her relentless advocacy for the integration of African American nurses into the military during World War II. Initially, the United States Army Nurse Corps barred African American nurses from serving. However, due to the nursing shortage during the war and Staupers' persistent lobbying, the Army Nurse Corps decided to admit African American nurses in 1941. Staupers' efforts led to the commissioning of over 500 African American nurses by the end of the war.

Staupers also played a pivotal role in ending racial segregation within the nursing profession. Her negotiations with the ANA led to the integration of African American nurses in 1948. Following this victory, the NACGN dissolved, having achieved its primary goal, and Staupers encouraged its members to join the ANA.

Later Life and Legacy

After retiring from active nursing and advocacy, Staupers continued to be involved in community health initiatives. She published her autobiography, "No Time for Prejudice," in 1961, which chronicled her life and the struggle for equality in nursing.

Mabel Keaton Staupers passed away on November 29, 1989, leaving behind a legacy of courage, perseverance, and significant contributions to the civil rights movement within the nursing profession. Her work paved the way for future generations of African American nurses and healthcare professionals.

Staupers' contributions have been recognized posthumously with numerous awards and honors, including induction into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame in 1996.