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Why was the National Black Nurses Association founded in 1971?

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A young doctor or nurse uses a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope to measure the blood pressure of an elderly man seated at a clinic office desk. — Nursing A nurse uses a sphygmomanometer to check a patient's blood pressure.

The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) was founded in 1971 because some African American nurses felt that the American Nurses Association (ANA) lacked the time and resources necessary to adequately address their specific concerns.1

Following the 1951 dissolution of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN)—which had previously achieved its goal of integrating the ANA—many Black nurses found that the mainstream professional organization did not fully represent their needs. Consequently, the NBNA was established as a parallel organization to provide a dedicated platform for addressing the unique issues faced by Black nurses and the communities they serve.21