The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-10-12
BY STATE BOARD ARE NEGRO
= NURSES, REFUSAL BEING
BASED ON COLOR
Hooper is Judgment
chief Executive Points Out IlIcgalitf
OF the Action and States There is
Nothing in the Act to Limit Its
Application to Whites.
(From the Nashville Globe.

... (t'rom the Nashville Globe.
Negro Nurses who presented them
selves before the board of examiners
of nurses, which began three-days
! session here Monday, were informed
by the board that no colored nurses
We're wanted nor would they be gwen
the right to. wear the coveted "R. NJ"
which means Registered nurse"
Some OF the cOlOfed nurses who pre-
sented themselves possessed more
than the statutory requirements, IN
some instances having taken a three
years course in the Meharry Medical
college, which has a hospital attach
ed, when the law only requires two
n,I, , as;;l-&
ed quite stir. The board was Great
ed by an act Of the last legislature.
a1ter group Of nurses had been
hammerlng at the legislative door
for two or three terms, in season and
out OF season. The present meeting
is the hrst one held. At the opening
dash the board claims that the "color"
Of the applicant must be stated in
the certificate, thus in almost direct
language extending the examinations
to both races.
ThS refusal of the board was called
TO the attention Of Gov. Hooper, who
1T is reported, did not approve of
the action taken. When asked regard
ing the incident Gov. Hooper said:
Il have not as yet had an oppor-
tunlty to confer with any member of
the examining board, and, perhaps,
my views would be merely persuasive.
If the board has denied these nurses
registration simply on account Of their
race, | am reliably informed theu
have, their action is illegal. There
Is nothing in the law which limits it's
application to white nurses and ex-
cludes colored ones from it's benefits.
1t requires a two-year course Of study
and training for those that are regis
tered without examination, out these
coloret nurses have taken a three
year course"
THE statute in prescribing the de-
scrlptlon to be given Of each regis
tered nurse, says that along with age,
sex, etc, the color must be stated.
Members Of the colored race have
not been debarred from practicing
dentistry and medicine in Tennessee,
and are compelled to comply with
ot
the whites. The object OF these laws
is to provide competent persons %
minister in all these professions to
both races. There is nothing in the
law or elsewhere that will oblige any
individual to- engage the services of n
nurse OF different race, but it is
wise and just that the colored nurses
should be given every opportu-'-~
and encouragement to prepare them
selves for efficient Service to the sick
and suffering to whose aid they may
be called.".
L am sorry this misunderstanding
has arisen and trust that It VIII be
adjusted without the necessity of liti-
CATION"
Whether or not the calling Of at
tcntion to the law Of Governor Hoop
er will have any influence, remains to
be seen. The following is the COM
position Of the board: Mrs. L. A. War
ner, Memphis, president; Miss NJ.
Barnes, Nashville, secretary; Miss
Lezanti Iunnavant, Memphis, Miss
Ophelia Hornsby, Knoxville, and Miss
f. G. Nisbct, Nashville.
The meeting is being held at the
Housekeepers' Club on Eighth avenue,
South.