OUR HISTOrY

In 1922 letters were sent to the American Consulates in Kingston, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Liberia. Also, circulars were sent to schools, colleges, and prominent ministers throughout the South and beyond to attract educated young Negro women interested in entering the nursing profession. 

The first student arrived in January 1923.  

A compliment of over 37 young women from several states and the West Indies formed the first class, "The Class of 1925."  

Thus, Mr. Vassall and his daughter were the catalysts to the establishment of the school. What was called the "experiment," in fact, was the foundation of a successful school. 

On Thursday evening, April 23, 1925, the first class, 36 students, graduated. They had completed a two and half year course. Mr. Edward C. Carter, whose wife later became chairman of the School's Advisory Committee. and a familiar figure to the students up into the 1960s was the Guest Speaker.

In. 1926, the training program was increased to three years. The School of Nursing was accredited by the State immediately upon request and evaluation. Harlem has always been a good training laboratory for students with an approved curriculum. 

In. 1930, the students began affiliations at Seaview Hospital for Tuberculosis Nursing. Graduates of the school during the era could be employed only at Harlem at Lincoln Hospitals. With affiliation in practice, graduates would now be employed at Riverside and Seaview Hospitals.

In October 1935,  a six-week affiliation to Bellevue for Psychiatric Nursing was started for both Harlem and Lincoln school of nursing. The same year, Queens General Hospital opened, and Negro Graduate Nurses were eventually employed on equal footing with other nurses.

This was the first integration breakthrough in the Department of Hospitals in the City of New York.

Later, affiliations were made with Williard Parker for Communicable Diseases and James Ewing-Memorial-Sloan Kettering Hospital for Cancer Nursing.

During World War II, members of the class of 1945, among others, participated actively in the Cadet Nurse Corps Program. The school also provided post-graduate nursing programs and fieldwork to students enrolled at local colleges and universities. Harlem. Hospital is respected as a clinical laboratory for student nurses today.

The school had now become and continued to be rich in tradition and achievement. Harlem Hospital Graduate Nurses were highly sought after whenever other professionals were exposed to them. Harlem Hospital Graduate Nurses have been the first blacks in many areas; State Boards, the Department of Education, college faculties, granted high commissions in the Armed Services, and other top administrative positions. 

They served in every State of the Union, in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean. The school continued to create and maintain educational programs and facilities optimum for learning and timely in concept. 

In June 1969, the first male student graduated. The facilities of the School, which consisted of the old nurses' residence and the new residence (27 WEST136TH Street) were moved to the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Pavilion during July and the subsequent months of 1969. 

In keeping with the current trends, affiliation with the Borough of Manhattan Community College began in September 1969, with students. taking college courses in Physical and Behavioral Science and the Humanities. College credits earned could be transferred to a four-year college program in the City University system.

In July 1970, control of all NYC Municipal Hospitals was assumed by the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation.  Affiliations in other institutions were discontinued. with the Class of 1972.