HISTORY

Black nurses attending the 47th American Nurses Association Convention in 1970 held a caucus to discuss common concerns. A steering committee met in 1971 in Cleveland, Ohio organized to investigate, define, and determine the needs of Black Americans and to implement changes in health care. The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) was incorporated and obtained tax-exempt status in 1972.

A large number of nurses from Washington, DC attended the 2nd NBNA Institute and Conference in Miami, Florida in 1974. The nurses caucused and made plans for a meeting in Washington, DC. The Black Nurses Association of Greater Washington, DC Area (BNA of GWDCA) was officially chartered in June 1975 as the fourth (4) national chapter as a result of this meeting. The charter members were Cynthia Barr Edwards, President; Claudine Linder, Secretary; Lillian Wade, Treasure. Barbara Baskerville, Ada Cain, Janice Crouch and Bertha Speight were members at-large.

As a local chapter of NBNA, we endeavor to support and provide service to the Greater Washington, DC area community. The commitment to service for nurses and the community is the major focus of the chapter. Members are encouraged to maintain membership in other professional organizations, as well. Membership is open to all licensed nurses and nursing students.

The BNA of GWDCA is a vehicle for cohesion and solidarity among Black nurses to ensure the continuity of our mission. In celebration of Black History Month, BNA of GWDCA hosted its Annual Salute to a Black Nurse on February 14, 1981, at St. Elizabeth Hospital. "The Salute" as it has become known as, is our signature nursing program recognizing the contributions of Black nursing leaders, in all areas or health care including the military. The program has expanded to encompass the provision of continuing education for nurses, as well as the recognition of our scholarship recipients. Scholarships are awarded to college-bound high school seniors entering nursing programs, matriculating nursing students and licensed nurses seeking advanced degrees.

BNA of GWDC has a distinguished legacy of community service. Past programs have supported our primary objectives which address specific health problems of the Black consumer and health care disparities included participation in the NBNA Hypertension Project, "Healthcare Issues of the Transgender Community" , "Updates in HIV Care" and programs in conjunction with the American Cancer Society. Our major community service projects continue to be community-based health assessments and health teaching events delivered in collaboration with churches, community-based organizations and other partners, As recently as the 2021 holiday season, BNA of GWDC, participated in a food give-away, partnering with the United Planning Organization and a local church, screening temperatures of all of the volunteers. This effort resulted in the distribution of over 1700 food baskets to families throughout the Washington region, North and South Carolina, and Maryland. In response to the critical shortage of nurses in all practice areas, the Chapter is active with the NBNA initiative, "Choose Nursing Project", providing career information, mentoring and role modeling, targeting students in middle and high schools. Due to the pandemic, this project has been inactive for the past two years. Presently, the BNA of GWDCA is actively involved in a "DC Food Pantry Program Initiative". In this project, the Chapter provides perishable and non-perishable food items and toiletries’ to a middle school in the District of Columbia on a monthly basis during the school year. As a Chapter, we will continue to carry out the mission of the organization working under the auspices of the National Black Nurses Association despite the current challenges to the profession from the pandemic, increasing racial strife and economic and political turmoil.

 

 

WHO WE ARE

A group of Black Nurses attending the 47th American Nurses' Association Convention in 1970 held a caucus to discuss common concerns. A steering committee met in 1971 in Cleveland, Ohio and organized to investigate, define, and determine the needs of Black Americans and to implement changes in health care. The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) was incorporated and obtained tax-exempt status in 1972.

A large number of nurses from Washington, DC attended the 2nd NBNA Institute and Conference in Miami, Florida in 1974. The nurses caucused and made plans for a meeting in Washington, DC. The Black Nurses Association of Greater Washington, DC Area (BNAGWDCA) was officially chartered in June 1975. The charter members were Cynthia Barr, President; Claudine Linder, Secretary; Lillian Wade, Treasurer; and Barbara Baskerville, Ada Cain, Janice Crouch, and Bertha Speight, Members-at-Large.

Members of the The Washington, D.C., Area Black Nurses Association attended the 17th Annual National Black Nurses Day on Capitol Hill. Seated: Kathy Williams; Patricia Tompkins; Dr. Veronica Clarke-Tasker, professor, Howard University, Division of Nursing and President, Greater Washington, D.C., Area Black Nurses Association. Standing: Dr. Eleanor Walker; Novella Jackson; Margaret Pemberton; Margaret Nelson; Judy Poole; Millicent Gorham, NBNA Executive Director; Velma Henderson, Chief Nursing Officer, Howard University Hospital; Lillian Wade; Eugene Allen; Mary Cromartie.

Members of the The Washington, D.C., Area Black Nurses Association attended the 17th Annual National Black Nurses Day on Capitol Hill. Seated: Kathy Williams; Patricia Tompkins; Dr. Veronica Clarke-Tasker, professor, Howard University, Division of Nursing and President, Greater Washington, D.C., Area Black Nurses Association. Standing: Dr. Eleanor Walker; Novella Jackson; Margaret Pemberton; Margaret Nelson; Judy Poole; Millicent Gorham, NBNA Executive Director; Velma Henderson, Chief Nursing Officer, Howard University Hospital; Lillian Wade; Eugene Allen; Mary Cromartie.

As a local chapter of the National Black Nurses Association, BNA of GWDCA endeavors to support NBNA and provide service to the Greater Washington, DC Area community. Members are encouraged to maintain membership in all professional nursing organizations. Membership is open to all licensed nurses and nursing students.

The BNA of GWDCA acts as a vehicle for cohesion and solidarity among Black nurses to insure the continuity of our common heritage. Thus, it was determined that it was important to recognize the contributions of nurses in our community. In celebration of Black History Month, BNA of GWDCA, Inc. hosted its first Annual Salute to a Black Nurse on February 14, 1981 at St. Elizabeth Hospital. "The Salute" has become one of our signature community programs, expanding to encompass the provision of continuing education for nurses, as well as the recognition of our scholarship recipients. Scholarships are awarded to college bound high school seniors entering nursing programs, matriculating nursing students and licensed nurses seeking additional nursing education.

BNA of GWDCA has a distinguished legacy of community service. Past programs which support our objective of addressing specific health problems of the Black consumer and health care disparities have included participation in the National Black Nurses National Hypertension Project, National Depression Project; partnerships with the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Our signature community service project continues to provide community based health assessments and teaching through church based and collaborative health fairs, and partnerships with the DC Department of Health, Office of Immunizations and the Washington Hospital Center.

In response to the critical shortage of nurses in all areas of practice, the BNA of GWDCA "Choose Nursing Project" involves providing career information, mentoring and role modeling for targeted students in DC area middle and high schools. As a chapter, our challenge is "Empowering the Community through Education, Service and Caring".