IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 572 
Honoring the 50th anniversary of the National Black Nurses Association. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2021 
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring the 50th anniversary of the National Black Nurses 
Association. 
Whereas the National Black Nurses Association (in this pre-
amble referred to as the ‘‘NBNA’’) is a nonprofit organi-
zation that provides a forum for collaborative action by 
African-American nurses to represent, advocate for, and 
implement strategies to ensure access to the highest qual-
ity of health care for persons of color; 
Whereas the NBNA represented a cornerstone in the ad-
vancement of equitable health care for Black and minor-
ity populations during the height of the civil rights move-
ment; 
Whereas the NBNA was formed in 1971, and officially incor-
porated on September 2, 1972, and acts to unite the 
forces of Black nurses to promote inclusion in nursing 
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education and leadership, and improve access to high- 
quality health care in Black and underserved commu-
nities; 
Whereas the NBNA was established under the leadership of 
Dr. Lauranne Sams and founding members Betty Jo Da-
vidson, Gertrude Baker, Barbara Garner, Dr. Mary Har-
per, Mattiedna Kelly, Phyllis Jenkins, Florrie Jefferson, 
Judy Jourdain, Geneva Norman, Betty Smith Williams, 
Ethelrine Shaw, Anita Small, Doris A. Wilson, and Glo-
ria Rookard; 
Whereas the NBNA represents approximately 200,000 Afri-
can-American nurses, licensed vocational and practical 
nurses, nursing students, and retired nurses from Can-
ada, the Eastern Caribbean, Africa, and the United 
States, and has 114 chartered chapters across the coun-
try; 
Whereas the NBNA pursues the betterment of minority 
health care by providing preventative screenings and edu-
cating patients about health matters such as managing 
high blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol, as well as 
screening for HIV, COVID–19, and sickle cell, while also 
providing mental health services; 
Whereas the NBNA operates on a collaborative community 
health model centered around improving the health of Af-
rican Americans through providing culturally competent 
health care services; 
Whereas, since 1988, the NBNA has hosted more than 300 
nurses and students annually at National Black Nurses 
Day on Capitol Hill, with the goal of educating Congress 
on the nursing shortage, nursing profession, and health 
care disparities in Black communities; 
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Whereas the NBNA works in partnership with community- 
based organizations to sponsor health fairs and other 
health-education-centered events, and receives public and 
private grants in support of their work on global health, 
mental health, and professional development and train-
ing; 
Whereas the NBNA hosts an annual institute and conference, 
where more than 1,200 nurses and nursing students re-
ceive state-of-the-art instruction on subjects such as car-
diovascular disease, cancer, children’s health, diabetes, 
end of life, HIV/AIDs, kidney disease, research, and 
women’s health; 
Whereas, in recent years, the NBNA launched several pro-
grams to further its goals of preparing the next genera-
tion of Black nurses, including the Under 40 Forum to 
recruit and retain younger members, the Summer Youth 
Enrichment Institute to increase the pipeline of future 
nursing professionals, and the Diversity Institute to pro-
vide information on innovations related to nursing by di-
verse providers to diverse populations to improve health 
outcomes, and the association remains committed to the 
academic achievement of student nurses at all levels by 
providing annual scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to 
$90,000; 
Whereas the NBNA introduced RETHINK, a campaign that 
focuses on educating Black nurses on the science sur-
rounding vaccinations and protecting their own health by 
receiving vaccines annually, and the campaign provides 
essential information regarding the danger of viruses and 
pushes against misinformation and skepticism to counter 
vaccine hesitancy; 
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Whereas the NBNA has rolled out additional projects to sup-
port the mental health of nurses struggling with the pres-
sures of the ongoing pandemic, including the RE:SET 
initiative which aims to remove the stigma around mental 
health within minority communities and provide round- 
the-clock support for Black nurses and on demand text 
therapy along with many other low-cost initiatives; 
Whereas the NBNA recognizes nurses who have made major 
contributions throughout their nursing career and are 
honored with the NBNA Lifetime Achievement Award 
and the NBNA Trailblazer Award; 
Whereas discrimination is still common for Black nurses in 
the workplace despite incredible efforts to highlight the 
disparities, inequities, and biases in health care and edu-
cate and inform health care providers, stakeholders, and 
partners of the racial and ethnic differences in providing 
health care to patients in communities of color; and 
Whereas the inequities are only fostered by mistrust harbored 
by a community that is severely underrepresented in the 
health care field, leading to undertreatment and misdiag-
noses: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That— 
(1) the work of the National Black Nurses As-
sociation is more relevant and necessary now than 
ever before, as people of color have experienced dis-
parate health impacts due to COVID–19 and other 
global crises; and 
(2) the House of Representatives— 
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(A) honors the National Black Nurses As-
sociation for their 50-year commitment to edu-
cating a pipeline of Black nursing professionals 
who are adequately trained and culturally com-
petent to meet the health care needs of people 
of color in medically underserved communities; 
and 
(B) reaffirms its commitment to working 
alongside the National Black Nurses Associa-
tion to further their contributions to improve 
health outcomes in communities of color. 
Æ 
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