Della Hayden Raney: Army Pioneer

Throughout history, countless women of color have broken barriers, uplifted communities, and shaped the world in ways that deserve lasting recognition. In 2020 I explored the stories of trailblazing women whose resilience, intellect, and leadership merit a place on our nation’s coinage. As part of Women’s History Month, I’m revisiting these editorials to celebrate their enduring legacies. These women persevered through adversity, educated the masses, and paved the way as the firsts in their fields. Their stories deserve to be told, remembered, and, perhaps one day, immortalized in metal.

World War II ended nearly 80 years ago, and nations around the globe were forever changed. In the canon of military history, women aren’t often recognized. Yes, the classic depiction of Rosie the Riveter—arguably the most iconic image to come out of the conflict—served as a symbol of the hardworking women in factories and shipyards, but many personal accounts have gone untold. And what about the brave women who risked their lives on the front lines? 

One trailblazing individual—Della Hayden Raney—served as the principal chief nurse during her three-year tenure at Tuskegee Army Air Field, supervising up to 20 nurses. A black American, Raney led a life of firsts, all in the face of discrimination and conflict. Born on January 10, 1912, in Suffolk, Virginia, Raney graduated from the Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing in Durham, North Carolina. This institution is credited as the first in the United States to accept black students. Raney went on to become the first African American to be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps (ANC). 

This was no easy task for a black woman at the time. The ANC, founded in February 1901, was not known for supporting people of color (though its policies have since changed). One requirement in particular barred many African Americans from joining—members had to have graduated from a hospital training school that had more than 50 beds. Most black women graduated from smaller, segregated institutions, and this rule gave white nurses an unfair advantage. 

Gaining acceptance into the American Red Cross, which managed the ANC, was another roadblock. As Raney recalled in 1983, “I persisted in overcoming this barrier to the point of writing Miss Mary Beard, who at that time was director of nursing for the American Red Cross, telling her of my desire to serve my country and practice my profession. Miss Beard replied with my membership card, certificate and pin.”

 By early 1941, when the United States’ involvement in World War II was imminent, black nurses who applied were again denied entry. According to the National Women’s History Museum, “All received a letter telling them that the Army did not have regulations in place for the appointment of black nurses.” The U.S. Army eventually, though unwillingly, accepted just 56 black nurses, but they were only allowed to triage non-white soldiers.

Despite blatant discrimination, Raney met all the requirements and quickly proved that she was as good at her job as she was at making history. She was the first black nurse to be commissioned in the U.S. Army. At Fort Bragg, Raney was the first African American chief nurse. Upon her transfer to Tuskegee Army Air Field in March 1942, she was made principal chief nurse. Two years later, she became the first black ANC-affiliated nurse to achieve the rank of captain; in 1946 she was promoted to major. She retired from the service in 1978, a decorated soldier and pioneer.

Della Hayden Raney died on November 23, 1987. The National Black Nurses Association and the Tuskegee Airmen Foundation founded a scholarship in her name in 2012. 

A version of this article appears in the October 2020 issue of The Numismatist (money.org).