Mary Seacole was a Jamaican-born nurse who was nursing pioneer and instrumental in nursing and medical care during the 1800s. 

Although she was considered ‘free’ due to her being of Scottish and Jamaican heritage, her civil rights were limited. She was still not allowed to vote, work in certain professions, or hold position in public office.

Ms. Seacole gained her nursing knowledge and skills from her mother, who managed a boarding house for invalid soldiers. During her many travels through the Caribbean, Britain, and Central America, she complemented her existing knowledge of traditional medicine with European medicine knowledge.  

After traveling to England, she went to the War Office and requested to be sent to the Crimea as an army nurse to care and treat the wounded soldiers. However, her request was denied. She then decided to finance her own travels to the Crimea, during the Crimean War, where she treated wounded soldiers from both sides. In addition to her care for the soldiers, she also established a boarding house near Balaclava, the British Hotel, for the injured patients to recover and rest.

After the war, her health declined, and she returned to England where she passed away in May 1881.

Ms. Seacole went above and beyond the call of traditional nursing duties and pushed through barriers to provide care to soldiers in need, on her own dime. We thank Ms. Seacole for her tireless effort to care for so many during the Crimean War.

Source: Mary Seacole (1805 - 1881). (2011, July 4). BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/seacole_mary.shtml