The Black Angels Book

In late spring 1933, 300 city officials assembled in a lower Manhattan ballroom to hear the president of NYC hospitals, a proud white man, speak about Sea View Hospital, and its "immoral consumptives," overcrowding the wards. When he finished a young Black nurse Sarlaria Kea stood up and asked: "Mr. President, why do you send Black nurses to Sea View?" "Well," he said, "we send Black nurses to Sea View because in 20 years we won't have a colored problem in America, because they'll all be dead from tuberculosis." Except they didn't die. Instead they became part of the most galvanizing most in human history, the cure tuberculosis. But their names were erased from the narrative for 80 years. On this International Women's Day, celebrate them and their courage and will to go on in the face of such impediments. And in these darkened times, may we all, like Black Angel Missouria Louvinia Meadows-Walker, keep believing that the world is good place, one that needs fixing, but also one where our work and our shared humanity can make it better. Read their remarkable story in my book, The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis. ?? ? DO NOT buy the blue paperback from Amazon. It's not a US authorized version. #internationalwomensday #blackhistory #womenshistory

Today almost 75 years ago marks the day the Black Angels of Sea View TB sanatorium were erased from history. On February 20, 1952, the New York Post ran a banner headline “Wonder Drug Fights TB.” Inside was a 2-page spread telling of the first human trials of isoniazid that were done at Sea View, the ones where the Black nurses, who had been called up from the Jim Crow south decades earlier, stood on the front lines. That headline brought about a galvanizing moment that changed the course of history. It was triumphant, and as Dr. Robitzek, who over saw the nurses later said “none of it would have been possible without the Black nurses” But then no one cared about the nurses or their story. Look closely at the most iconic picture taken from that day where the once incurables are front and center jitterbugging. In the back stand the Black nurses, their faces staid and somber tell a different, a more complex story, one of women who saw terrible things, who in the now abandoned buildings did the impossible—prevail over of humanity’s greatest scourge, tu-berculosis. They did it because it was their job, because they had committed themselves to saving lives at the risk of their own. But also because they were Black women, subjects of Jim Crow labor laws that offered them few, if any, options. I wish I could say that we’ve moved far away from many aspects of this story, but especially now, and in the coming years, I fear we haven't. In graduate school I studied with Elie Wiesel, an Auschwitz survivor, who talked about what it meant to bear witness and our how we had moral obligation to not turn away when we heard or read a story or witnessed something that was unjust. This story, like so many others is full of injustices—health inequities, stigma, institutional and systemic racism, and othering. Recently images of women and Black scientists were removed from the NIH hallways. I thought about the implications of removing history, especially medical history. Of course I thought about the Black Angels who for 80 years had been expunged from history & because of that an entire narrative about tuberculosis & the cure had been crafted without them We're at a dreadful moment where history is in danger of being erased including this one—I regularly get trolled sometimes from people in the health field, but mostly from MAGA ppl who post comments or send emails telling me “this woke story a lie” or “Black nurses didn’t face racism at Sea View”? So as Dr. Wiesel said, it's our moral responsibility to ensure that these women & their lessons of will & determination to make the world a better place, one where equity& compassion, morality, love, & bearing witness are the guiding principles remain ?? If you buy the book from Amazon, DON'T buy the paperback, it's unauthorized Thanks Dr. Shawntay Harris, DNP, MBA, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, TCRN, CPEN, CEN, CTRN, CFRN, FAEN & others for buying the book in bulk b/c, as Shawntay said "legacy matters"

The Business of Philanthropy: Investing in Legacy As a nurse entrepreneur, I’ve built my career on recognizing opportunities, investing in impact, and creating lasting change. But entrepreneurship isn’t just about business—it’s about legacy, storytelling, and uplifting the voices that history has overlooked. At the DNPs of Color Conference, I had the privilege of purchasing 300 copies of The Black Angels by Maria Smilios to distribute to attendees. Why? Because this book tells an essential part of nursing history—a story of Black nurses who risked everything to care for tuberculosis patients when no one else would. I saw the worth in this story, the power of honoring unsung heroes, and the opportunity to ensure that future generations of nurses know the shoulders they stand on. Ms. Virginia Allen, one of the last surviving Black Angels, is finally receiving the recognition she deserves because this book made its way into the right hands. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I absolutely would. Because legacy matters. Because history deserves to be told. Because Ms. Allen is getting her flowers—while she can still smell them. This is what investing in impact looks like. This is the business of philanthropy. ???? #NursingHistory #Philanthropy #TheBlackAngels #NursesHELPINGNurses #LegacyMatters #NurseEntrepreneur #ScholarshipandService

The Black Angels and Ms. Virginia Allen made the front page of the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com!!! Great piece by Ann Marie Barton on their story, contributions to medicine, to Staten Island, to history, and to humanity. So blessed to have met Ms. Allen, the families of the nurses and patients, and Dr. Robitzek's son who trusted me to tell this remarkable untold story that is as relevant now as ever and deserves to be in every history book. ?? **The Staten Island museum exhibit has been extended through this year. If you can go, it's awesome "Breaking racial barriers, they risked their lives to care for those left to languish and die of incurable tuberculosis. But the day-to-day skill and care they provided New York City’s most stigmatized, isolated patients is what earned the Black Angels their name. . . But the work must continue," Allen said. We have to always keep diligent and engaged in the betterment of our communities. Everyone. We have to work together ... and work as a team." **If you buy the book from Amazon, please DO NOT buy the Blue cover, it's a pirated lesser quality copy Robin Cogan MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN Rosanne Raso, DNP, RN, CENP, FAAN, FAONL Staten Island Museum City University of New York-College of Staten Island Gabriella Leone Janice Monger Rylee Eterginoso Debbie-Ann Paige Madhukar Pai, MD, PhD Read here ?? https://lnkd.in/ejaifZGS

To honor Black History Month, AACN celebrates the countless Black nurses who paved the way for equity, excellence and advocacy in healthcare. Listen to a special episode of Voices in Nursing: https://aacn.me/40NFFCk During the height of the tuberculosis epidemic, when fear kept many away, Dr. Virginia Allen and the Black Angels stepped forward. As one of the brave nurses at Sea View Hospital in Staten Island, New York, Allen provided compassionate care to those in need, shaping the future of nursing with courage and dedication. Their impact is also explored in The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis by Maria Smilios (2023), shedding light on their vital contributions to healthcare. The Black Angels Book

In 1929, White nurses at Sea View Hospital in Staten Island walked out, fleeing the deadly “great white plague”—tuberculosis. Desperate to replace them, the city turned to Black nurses, offering jobs in integrated hospitals as an incentive. These nurses endured racism, sexism, and the daily threat of a disease with no cure. Yet, in 1952, they played a pivotal role in the isoniazid drug trials, changing the course of history. Dr. Robitzek said, “Had it not been for the Black nurses, none of this would have been possible.” Until The Black Angels book, their story was mostly unknown. #TheBlackAngels https://lnkd.in/gBFZ4a87

In 1929, White nurses at Sea View Hospital in Staten Island walked out, fleeing the deadly “great white plague”—tuberculosis. Desperate to replace them, the city turned to Black nurses, offering jobs in integrated hospitals as an incentive. These nurses endured racism, sexism, and the daily threat of a disease with no cure. Yet, in 1952, they played a pivotal role in the isoniazid drug trials, changing the course of history. Dr. Robitzek said, “Had it not been for the Black nurses, none of this would have been possible.” Until The Black Angels book, their story was mostly unknown. (...continued below) #blackangels #nurses #blacknurses #blackhistorymonth #nursesonlinkedin Thank you for this article ?? Maria Smilios

Given all that's happened these last few weeks in an effort to erase #blackhistory, I'm grateful that Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, PhD at Discover Magazine chose to uplift the story of the remarkable Black nurses known as the Black Angels who worked at Sea View and helped cure tuberculosis, which is coming back with a vengeance. If you haven't read their story in my book, The Black Angels, please do. ?? In the current moment, stories like these matter all the more. #blackhistory Robin Cogan MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN Rosanne Raso, DNP, RN, CENP, FAAN, FAONL TB Alliance Dr. Robyn Christine Waite (PhD) Women in STEM Organization Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE) Staten Island Museum Rebecca Love RN, MSN, FIEL Philip D. Cooke Mark Anthony Neal Andrea Macaluso Black Women In Clinical Research ? Madhukar Pai, MD, PhD Christina Oldini, RN, MBA, CPHQ

Join us for a webinar that’s both timely and timeless, connecting history with today’s fight against #tuberculosis. Hear acclaimed author ?? Maria Smilios share the incredible story of The Black Angels—the unsung nurses who played a vital role in the discovery of isoniazid. Then, hear from us, an organization leading the charge in modern TB ?? research. The challenges may have changed, but the mission remains the same: finding cures and making sure they reach everyone who needs them. Don’t miss it! Register here ?? https://lnkd.in/g55xZf-F #EndTB #6MonthsMax

It was dark when the plane collided, exploded in the sky. Sixty four people on board plunged into the freezing water. That's how quick the humanity lasted, two sentences, before it devolved into an excuse for performative politics. In hours, everywhere was the crash. In photos, on video, on social media, and on TV where reporters were tripping over themselves to say something, words, any words. Most of them were useless, filler words that led to inconsequential information—speculation, views, beliefs, and feelings. I think of years ago, before vulgarity become vogue, when news anchors would tell of a tragedy and sit silently, staring out at the masses, and let the silence speak so individuals can process what's happening. But now, they fill the air with unmoored opinions and theories to mitigate the possibility of silence, essentially ignoring the people who died, mentioning them only in passing--the young lawyer who was headed to Howard University or the mom of two, or the Russian skater, or the pilot or crew, or the entire US figure skating team, full of hope and promise, their medals from the Figure Skating Championships tucked in their bags. As the hours pass, the dead become secondary, bridges for talking heads to discuss the "real news" the "click bait" stuff, the political riff-raff, the press conferences that became spectacles, where Trump sat stone-faced and foul, confounding reporters by blaming DEI then Biden and then balking at the question of visiting the site: “You want me to go swimming?” he answered, his face awash in scorn. On social media, particularly X, Musk, Republican leaders, and MAGA heads were giddy, nearly rejoicing in their tweets on how “DEI must DIE” and this is "the fault of DEI and wasteful spending." As the feeds filled, each tweet and comment became more inhumane until the people who died didn’t matter at all. What mattered was another occasion to descend into incivility and hate. To sow more seeds of division and discord. To break apart any shred of decency and humanity America had left. Many of us know how we arrived here in this moment when human lives are merely the gateway for another act of tragic and shameful political theater. Now, the question is how (and if) we can we find our way out. Robin Cogan MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN