Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail, RN (1903-1981)

Born on the Crow Agency reservation in Montana, Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail became the first Native registered nurse, graduating from Boston City Hospital School of Nursing in 1923. Working as a nurse at the Bureau of Indian Affairs Hospital, she witnessed forced sterilization of Crow women without consent - inspiring her to fight for their injustices. Yellowtail traveled to reservations researching the needs of the people - they lacked access to care and battled serious illness.

Yellowtail was appointed to President Nixon's Council on Indian Health, Education and Welfare and to the federal Indian Health Advisory Committee. She later founded the first professional association for Native American nurses and was instrumental in winning tribal and government funding to help Natives enter the nursing profession. Yellowtail was the first Native inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame and received the President's Award for Outstanding Nursing Health Care.