New UMSON Pioneer Exhibit Connects Past and Present

BY KIRSTEN HAMMERSTROM

At the Seeds of Change event in January, UMSON unveiled a new exhibit as part of renovations to the second floor of the north side of its Baltimore building. Located at the entrance to a new conference room overlooking the School’s living green wall, the exhibit honors Esther E. McCready, DPS (Hon.) ’15, DIN ’53, and Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, DHL (Hon.), MAS, BSN ’80, FAAN. They are two of the School’s inaugural Visionary Pioneers.

The exhibit features McCready’s and Nathan-Pulliam’s personal histories and accomplishments as well as the historical context that highlights their achievements.

McCready, the first African American student admitted to UMSON, together with the NAACP successfully sued the School for McCready’s admission four years before the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education ended the doctrine of “separate but equal” public education facilities. McCready’s courage and determination to fulfill her childhood ambition of becoming a nurse were shown in her persistence in the face of discriminatory treatment by fellow students, faculty, and administrators. Through McCready’s efforts, Black students gained both admission to the School and greater acceptance by teachers and peers.

Nathan-Pulliam’s work as a nurse laid a foundation for her legislative achievements in the Maryland General Assembly, first as a delegate for District 10 beginning in 1995 and later as a senator for District 44 beginning in 2015 until her retirement in 2019. She focused on addressing health disparities and access to care for citizens of the state and of Baltimore in particular, beginning with a 1998 bill to provide access to breast cancer screening for women without health insurance. In 2017, Nathan-Pulliam sponsored legislation to create the “Health in All Policies” workgroup, intended to foster collaboration among units of state and local government and to ensure that “health considerations may be incorporated into the decisionmaking processes of government agencies and private stakeholders who interact with government agencies,” according to the bill. above: McCready in UMSON’s Living History Museum, 2005 left: Nathan-Pulliam at her Maryland Senate district headquarters, 2018 below: the new exhibit

The exhibit incorporates historical photographs and objects from the School’s Living History Museum collection in addition to awards on loan from Nathan-Pulliam. Student and graduate nursing caps and yearbook photos connect these pioneering graduates to their UMSON experience, connecting past and present to inspire current students, employees, and alumni.

Hammerstrom is the curator of UMSON’s Living History Museum.

“Whether we are educating prospective students about offerings, guiding students through complex enrollment processes, advising on paths forward through personal challenge, or facilitating programs and connections to enhance career and leadership skills, we must meet evolving student needs in nursing education.”