Happy Certified Nurses Day! 14 Iconic Black Nurses Who Changed The Medical Game - Page 10

9. Eddie Bernice Johnson

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Eddie Bernice Johnson is a trailblazing nurse and U.S. congresswoman who built a remarkable career in both healthcare and politics. Starting as a registered nurse, Johnson made history as the first African American female chief psychiatric nurse at the VA Hospital in Dallas. After the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which abolished discriminatory voting practices, she became the first Black woman elected to public office in Dallas, securing a seat in the Texas House of Representatives.

Johnson continued to break barriers throughout her career, becoming the first Black woman appointed as regional director for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare by President Jimmy Carter. In 1992, she made history again as the first registered nurse elected to Congress, representing Texas’ 30th District. She later became the first African American and the first woman to serve as the ranking member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.