Black Nurses: Untold History

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Lesson Plan: Black Nurses in American Wars

Thesis Statement

Black nurses have served with courage and skill in every major American war, shaping military medicine and advancing civil rights through their unrecognized labor, leadership, and legacy.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify key contributions of Black nurses across American wars Example: Students will name three wars where Black nurses served and describe their roles in each.

2. Analyze the impact of military service on civil rights progress Example: Students will explain how WWII nursing assignments influenced desegregation in the U.S. military.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will create a timeline of Black nurse service from the Civil War to Iraq/Afghanistan Example: Timeline includes Harriet Tubman, WWII assignments, and modern leadership roles.

2. Students will write a reflection on how one nurse’s legacy inspires their own leadership or academic goals Example: A student reflects on Susie King Taylor’s courage and connects it to their nursing aspirations.

5E Learning Model

• Engage: Show image of Black nurses in uniform across eras; ask “What do you see?”
• Explore: Students research one war and report how Black nurses served
• Explain: Instructor presents key figures and turning points (e.g., WWII quotas, Vietnam trauma care)
• Elaborate: Students connect nursing service to civil rights and leadership
• Evaluate: Students complete a formative assessment (below)

Formative Assessment

Students will submit a short-written response: “How did Black nurses in one war change the course of military medicine or civil rights?” Responses must cite one historical figure or event.

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