As we celebrate Women’s History Month this March, let us remember all the incredible women who have made history.
From scientists and entrepreneurs to artists and activists, these women have blazed trails and broken barriers, making the world a better place for all of us.
One such person is >>Della Hayden Raney Jackson Dates: 1912-1987 African American Trailblazer and WWII Nurse.
She was born in Suffolk, Virginia, on January 10 to George H and Willie V Raney.
By 1937, she had graduated from North Carolina’s Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing in Durham.
Women’s history… Della’s Story
After graduation, she worked as the operating room supervisor at Lincoln Hospital.
When the United States entered World War II, Nurse Raney was eager to serve her country and applied for a position in the Army Nurse Corps.
Initially, her application was denied due to her race. Until 1941, the Army only employed white nurses.
Despite this rejection, Nurse Raney persisted in becoming an Army nurse.
The American Red Cross had to endorse a nurse’s military service application.
She wrote in 1983:
“When I entered nursing more than forty years ago, it was serious business with me.
It was a commitment to give my life for a cause – that of caring for those who were ill … It was this strong desire to elevate my profession led me to volunteer for military service in 1940 with the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
Getting accepted by the Red Cross was difficult for graduates of black nursing schools in the south.
Still, I persisted in overcoming this barrier to the point of writing Miss Mary Beard.
She was director of nursing for the American Red Cross, telling her of my desire to serve my country and practice my profession.
Miss Beard replied with my membership card, certificate, and pin.”
Della’s Life and Times
Della Raney became known as “Maw Raney” to the nurses she supervised at Tuskegee Army Air Field during World War II.
As she was the principal chief nurse to up to 20 nurses at any one time during her almost three-year tenure on the base before being promoted to captain.
Inaddition, she had to lead these women into a career where they would be discriminated against because of their gender and race.
The Making of a Trailblazer women’s history
Della Rainey Jackson graduated from Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing.
She was the first African-American nurse to answer the call for nurses in World War II.
She entered service at Fort Bragg in April 1941 and was later transferred to Tuskegee Army Flying School in March 1942.
Lieutenant Rainey was the first African-American nurse to be promoted to chief nurse and the first to be in charge of an army hospital.
She received her doctorate from Columbia University.
Noteworthy Facts
- First African-American nurse to answer the call for nurses World War II
- First African-American nurse to be promoted to the rank of chief nurse
- First African-American nurse to be in charge of an army hospital
Relationship
- graduate of Columbia University †
- member of Tuskegee Army Flying School †
- graduate of Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing †
https://www.awfdn.org/trailblazers/della-hayden-raney-jackson/
Conclusion:
We should all take a moment to remember the incredible women who have made history.
From scientists and entrepreneurs to artists and activists, these women have blazed trails and broken barriers, making the world a better place for all of us.
We can learn so much from their stories and examples – let’s talk about how we can continue their work in the future. What do you think?