Jessie Parker Smith, LPN, was a member of the first graduating classes of the Durham School of Practical Nursing during the late 1940s, as well as one of the cohorts of what is now known as the "Trailblazers", the first African American nurses hired by Duke. Smith remained a nurse at Duke for over 40 years. Initially a surgical nurse, she came to work with a variety of patients and specialties over her career. Tireless in her advocacy for the profession, Smith was an active member and Treasurer of the North Carolina Licensed Practical Nurses Association. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on June 13, 2022 by Patara Williams and transcribed by Josephine McRobbie. Smith's daughter, LaHoma Romocki, was also part of the conversation, and the interview was attended by Heather Lowe (Duke University) and Josephine McRobbie (audio engineer contractor). In the interview, Smith discusses the Duke and Durham hospital systems, the work and culture of Licensed Practical Nursing throughout Smith's career, and Smith's perspectives on patient care. The themes of this interview include nursing, racial integration in healthcare, and professional development.
Contains the organizational records of the North Carolina Licensed Practical Nurses Association (NCLPNA), whose mission was to provide professional development, continuing education opportunities, and political advocacy for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and practical nursing students in the state of North Carolina. Major topics include licensed practical nursing, nursing education standards in North Carolina, African American women in medicine, North Carolina hospital systems, and healthcare advocacy. Types of materials include subject files, meeting minutes, reports, correspondence, continuing education and conference materials, publications, financial records, membership records, bound and unbound ledgers, photographs, publications, transparencies, ephemera, and drawings. Materials range in date from 1946 to 2012, with the bulk dating from 1965 to 2009.