The Harlem Hospital School of Nursing served as the training ground for Salaria Kea, a nurse who defied domestic segregation through wartime service. Born in Milledgeville in 1913, she navigated severe racial barriers in the United States before embarking on a career that spanned the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War.
Early Career and Activism
Kea grew up in Akron after her father, a gardener, died in an industrial incident. Racial policies in Ohio prevented her from entering nursing locally, forcing her to move to New York City in 1930. While studying at Harlem Hospital, she campaigned to desegregate the staff dining room and pushed for better conditions for African American nursing staff. Following her graduation in 1934, she secured a position as head nurse at Seaview Hospital.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Service in Spain
After being rejected by the American Red Cross due to her ethnicity, Kea aligned with the American Medical Bureau. In March 1937, she joined the Abraham Lincoln Battalion, becoming the only African American nurse in the unit. At the field hospital in Villa Paz, she supervised staff and treated patients of diverse origins. Her service was interrupted by a six-week capture by the Spanish Nationalist Army and subsequent injuries during a bombing raid in early 1938. She returned to the United States in May 1938, detailing her experiences in the published pamphlet, While Passing Through.
Military Service and Later Life
Kea volunteered as a nurse for the United States Army in 1944, as part of the military’s first recruitment of African American nurses. Following the conflict, she worked in various New York hospitals, focusing on staff desegregation initiatives. She eventually retired to Akron in 1973 with her husband, John O'Reilly, whom she met in Spain. She appeared in the 1984 documentary The Good Fight: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War and remained in Akron until her death in 1990.
Fast facts
- Born: 1913, Milledgeville
- Died: 1990, Akron
- Education: Harlem Hospital School of Nursing
- Key Employer: Seaview Hospital
- Primary Field: Nursing
- Military Service: Abraham Lincoln Battalion
Questions readers ask
Did Salaria Kea join the Communist Party USA?
While some reports from the 1930s suggested membership, Kea later denied ever joining the party.
Why did she serve in the Spanish Civil War?
Motivated by her Catholic faith and anti-fascist views, she sought to provide medical care in a setting where she was not subjected to the racial segregation prevalent in the United States.
Achievements
- Held posts at Seaview Hospital
