Those trailblazers opened the path, but the work is not finished. Minority nurses make up only 19.2% of the registered nurse workforce, and Black nurses account for 6.2%, even though Black Americans were 12.7% of the population in 2017, according to the 2017 National Nursing Workforce Survey. By the 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey, the Black RN share had risen to about 11% (NCSBN), though representation still trails the Black share of the US population. Education can narrow that gap, but it carries its own barriers. A 2018-19 report from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing found only about 34.2% of students in baccalaureate programs came from minority backgrounds.
Faculty representation lags too. Betty Smith Williams became the first Black person to teach nursing at the college level in California in the 1950s, and nursing faculty of color still have low retention today, according to a study in Nursing Outlook.
Jamil Norman, PhD, RN, CNE, an RN and advocate for diversity in nursing and nursing education, talked through these issues: the challenges Black nurses face, and the role education plays in changing them.
Q&A with Jamil Norman, PhD, RN, CNE
The main challenge Black nurses face is racism. Workplace discrimination and abuse from patients still happen. Black nurses struggle to move into leadership, and that is tied directly to racism.
There is a long history of mistrust between the Black community and the healthcare system. Repairing it takes better representation of Black and other minority professionals. Patients tend to prefer providers they can identify and communicate with easily.
Increasing diversity in nursing has to be intentional. Health systems and universities need to actively seek out minority candidates, and recruiting from historically Black colleges and universities is a clear way to do it. Targeted programs help too, like postdoctoral fellowships that give recent doctoral graduates from underrepresented backgrounds mentoring, teaching experience, and a path into faculty roles.
As Black nurses, we have to encourage others into the profession and guide them toward higher education. We need to become educators, clinicians, and practitioners so young Black nursing students see role models who look like them.
When I think about the Black nurses who came before, I think of perseverance, persistence, and purpose. They fought to be recognized and educated so they could care for their community, and they stayed the course when the odds were against them. Sojourner Truth promoted nursing education and training. Betty Smith Williams advocated for it and became the first Black nurse hired as a college educator in California. Their work forged the path that let me become a nurse educator. There is still much to do, and like our pioneers, we have to keep striving toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of US nurses are Black? In the 2017 National Nursing Workforce Survey, Black nurses made up 6.2% of RNs. By the 2024 survey the share had risen to about 11%, still below the Black share of the US population.
What is the main challenge Black nurses face? Racism. That includes workplace discrimination, abuse from patients, and barriers to moving into leadership roles.
Who was the first Black licensed nurse in the United States? Mary Eliza Mahoney, who earned her credentials in 1879 after years working as a janitor and cook at a New England hospital.
How can nursing become more diverse? Through intentional recruiting, including from historically Black colleges and universities, and targeted programs such as postdoctoral fellowships that move underrepresented graduates into faculty roles.
Why does Black representation in nursing matter? Patients tend to prefer providers they can identify and communicate with easily, and stronger representation helps rebuild trust between the Black community and the healthcare system.