Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization

Historic background

Mary Mahoney Nurses Club, founders
Pictured standing left to right: Mary Martin, Ira Gordon, Mary Davis Hooks, Ernestine Williams, Gertrude Dawson, Maxine Pitter Haynes, Rachel S. Pitts, and Katie Ashford. Seated left to right: Anne Foy Baker, Sadie Berrysmith Wallace, Juanita Davis and Celestine Thomas. Not shown: Mary Lanier. (Photographed by Chester Berrysmith)

History and purpose

In 1949, thirteen professional nurses convened in the home of Anne Foy Baker, a nurse in Seattle to discuss ways to support African-American students in professional nursing. Moved by the inspirational achievement of Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first African-American graduate nurse in the United States the thirteen professional nurses called themselves as Mary Mahoney Nurses Club. To give the group an even stronger focus, in 1973 they changed the name to Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization.

Mission statement

The mission statement explains to members, supporters, professional colleagues and the general public the purpose, functions and activities of the organization. It expresses the core values of the organization and the main outcomes of the services that we have provided throughout the years since MMPNO was founded in 1949.

Our historic mission is to:

  • Support the professional development of our members through encouraging active participation and the assumption of leadership roles in MMPNO and in other professional nursing organizations.

  • Contribute to educational opportunity and diversity in nursing by providing scholarships, mentoring and socio-cultural support to African-heritage nursing students.

  • Provide high quality volunteer services in tutoring, mentoring and sharing our expertise for the development of nursing students and other individuals as well as organizations in our communities.

  • Promote high standards of excellence in the practice of nursing and in our roles as nursing professionals.

  • Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with other organizations in our community to enhance program development and health service delivery to residents of our community.

Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization, providing scholarships, mentoring, and assitance for African-American nursing students since 1949 | About us | Site map | Contact us |

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