Through the Eyes of Black Nurses: The Impact of the Nurse Training Act of 1964

Abstract

The Nurse Training Act (NTA) was passed by the United States Congress in 1964 in response to growing national concerns about a shortage of nurses. The legislation provided substantial funding for nursing education to increase the supply of nurses and improve the quality of nursing services. However, contemporary investigations into the causes of the shortage focused on the professional lives and experiences of white women, who were the main target of nurse recruitment and retention efforts. This research shifts the focus to Black women nurses, examining both the causes of the shortage and the impact of the NTA on the nursing workforce from their perspective. It argues that a key achievement of the NTA—alongside the Civil Rights Act of 1964—was the dismantling of legalized racial segregation in professional nursing schools, a major barrier to the development of the Black professional nursing class. Yet, this federal intervention was not simply bestowed; it was the result of decades of sustained advocacy by Black nurses from the 1890s to the 1960s to secure equal educational opportunity and federal support for their civil liberties. Viewing this landmark legislation through the eyes of Black nurses underscores the federal government's pivotal role in both promoting and obstructing racial and healthcare equality. As the nation faces yet another nursing shortage, coupled with the eradication of affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, this perspective is especially timely and important for informing current and future issues pertaining to health equity.