Ms. Alberta Martin, daughter of the late Grant and Rosella Martin was born on April 7th, 1919 in South Carolina. God called her to rest on January 24, 2012.
She was baptized at an early age at Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church in North, South Carolina.
The family moved to Philadelphia in 1927. That year, under the guidance of her mother, she joined Zoar Methodist Episcopal Church under the pastorate of the late Reverend John T. Fletcher. She was a faithful member for 85 years.
Miss Martin was confirmed at the age of thirteen and has served in many areas of her church: sang in junior choir, member of the committee on Education, Chairman of the Committee on Women, Steward, tutored high school students in math and science and counseled students interested in nursing as a career (both in church and in the community). In addition, Ms. Martin was a Lay Leader, a teacher in Vacation Bible School and a volunteer teacher in Temple University’s Adult Literacy Program at Zoar United Methodist Church.
Ms. Martin valued education and excelled s a student. She received all her formal primary education in the Philadelphia School System graduating from William Penn high School in 1936. She graduated from Mercy Douglass Hospital School of Nursing in 19947 followed by a Masters in Science Degree in Education in 1948 from the University of Pennsylvania. This was truly an exceptional accomplishment; the University of Pennsylvania is an Ivy League university and one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Black students were rarely admitted during that time. During her tenure at the University of Pennsylvania, Ms. Martin became a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Demonstrating a lifelong commitment to education she later earned pre-doctoral credits from St. Joseph College from 1967 to 1968 and New York University from 1968-1969.
Ms. Martin was also a trailblazer in her professional life. In 1942 Ms. Martin’s application to the Army Nurse Corpse was denied because of a “quota system” for black nurses. Characteristically, she was undeterred by barriers. When the “quota system” was removed she joined the Army Nurse Corps as a Lieutenant. Ms. Martin was one of twenty black nurses to serve in an integrated unit from 1945 to 1946.
Ms Martin, as an American Red Cross Nurse, Participated in various programs for disaster nursing and when called upon she never hesitated to assist in other programs.
As a member of the American Nursing Association, on the local level she visited numerous elementary and high schools to talk to students about choosing nursing as a career. During the years of World War II, she was requested by a number of community organizations to visit projects and recreation centers to talk to black teenagers about education and social problems among teenagers. A firm believer in self-determination, she always advised her audience about possible solutions.
Ms. Martin was active in a number of nursing positions from Staff Nurse to Nursing Administrator for 38 years. She was the first black nurse working as a staff nurse in several hospitals in Philadelphia. Though she was qualified for higher positions she remained in the position to pave the way for future black nurses.
In 1950, she was promoted to Head Nurse at Philadelphia General Hospital becoming their first black head nurse. However, when Ms. Martin requested to be placed on the faculty, the director of nursing told her, “that it was not the time to have a black instructor on faculty.”
Ms. Martin was the second black nurse employed at Methodist Hospital as an instructor and promoted to Assistant Director of the School of Nursing in two years. After her mother’s illness, selflessly, she resigned and accepted a position as evening supervisor so that she could care for her mother during the day.
She was the second black nurse employed at Chestnut Hill Hospital School of Nursing and was the highest qualified person on the facility. During her tenure there she was the Science Coordinator and assisted the faculty members in applying scientific principals to nursing care in their teaching. During her tenure at Chestnut Hill Hospital School of Nursing she was a donor of an award granted to the student who excelled in the application scientific principals to nursing care during the years of 1960-1967.
Ms. Martin was the first black faculty member employed at Temple University College of Allied Health in 1969 as an Assistant Professor of Nursing and received tenure in three years.
Alberta, along with two other faculty members developed the curriculum for the collegiate nursing program. She collated and statistically analyzed student achievement in course grades with the state board results and national examinations each year. She was unanimously nominated on two occasions by the entire student body and faculty for the Lindbach Award for Distinguished Teaching. Ms. Martin represented the faculty at The International Conference of Nursing in Tokyo, Japan. She retired in 1978.
Ms. Martin has received a number of awards and citations for a variety of services both volunteering and teaching such as:
1. The Chapel of Four Chaplain (1960) for community services
2. The Chi Eta Phi Sorority award given for outstanding contributions to nursing (October 26, 1986)
3. The Health OccupationStudents of America presented a certificate of appreciation for assistance in maintaining the high standards of excellence encouraged by HOSA for career preparations.
4. Received a Certificate of Appreciation each year from 1980 – 1992 for valuable contribution given to the Philadelphia schools, granted by the school principals.
5. A volunteer service award by the School District of Philadelphia School Volunteer Program (1989 – 1990)
6. The Certificate of Appreciation Serving as a volunteer tutor from 1990 – 1991 by Germantown Lankenau Motivation Home and School Association
7. The Bible Practitioner Award sponsored by the National Federation of Bible Classes Service at the Church; including acknowledgements from Mayor Nutter – City of Philadelphia and Council of City of Philadelphia
8. The United Methodist woman of Zoar United Methodist Church Honor for 82 years of service a
9. The College of Health Professions of Temple University Trailblazers and Outstanding Service award (May 14, 2009) by the National =Federation of Bible Classes (2005) for services within the church.
Ms. Martin has several articles and book reviews published in Professional Nursing Journals and several poems published by the National Library of Poetry.
Ms. Alberta Martin was a trailblazer, a scholar, an educator, a server of the community, and a woman of faith.
She will be greatly missed.
A Psalm to Live By
Written by Alberta Martin
Lord,
Help me to face my problems with a smile…
Accept them and absorb them into my way of life.
Recognizing my limitations, give me the courage to face them openly.
Guide me spiritually so that my directions in life may be meaningful and helpful to others.
I sing praises to thee… my Lord, my Creator, my Savior for the many blessings thou hast bestowed upon me.
Yea, I praise thee.
May your wonders endureth forever!
For more information you can visit http://articles.philly.com/2012-02-02/news/31017116_1_black-nurses-autobiographical-notes-faculty
