Mabel Keaton Staupers was a pioneering figure in Black history as a nurse and healthcare advocate. She was instrumental in breaking down racial barriers in the nursing profession and working towards racial equality in healthcare. Staupers was born in Barbados in 1890 and moved to the United States to pursue her nursing education.

Staupers faced racism and discrimination throughout her career but remained steadfast in her commitment to improving healthcare access for African Americans. She became the executive secretary of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) in 1934 and worked tirelessly to desegregate the nursing profession and ensure that Black nurses had equal opportunities for employment and advancement.

One of Staupers' most notable achievements was her advocacy for the inclusion of Black nurses in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during World War II. Through her efforts, the Army Nurse Corps began accepting Black nurses on an equal basis in 1941, opening up new opportunities for African American women in healthcare.

Staupers continued to advocate for racial equality in healthcare throughout her life, fighting against segregation in hospitals and working to improve healthcare access for marginalized communities. Her legacy as a trailblazer in the nursing profession and a champion for social justice has had a lasting impact on the field of healthcare and civil rights in the United States.