Mabel Keaton Staupers was a pioneering African American nurse and healthcare advocate who played a crucial role in desegregating the nursing profession in the United States. She was born on February 27, 1890, in Barbados and later moved to the United States to pursue a career in nursing. Staupers faced discrimination and limited opportunities as a Black nurse in a segregated healthcare system.

Staupers became a leading voice for racial equality in nursing and worked tirelessly to advocate for the integration of the American Nurses Association (ANA) during a time of widespread racial segregation in the early to mid-20th century. Her efforts to challenge racial barriers within the nursing profession were instrumental in paving the way for greater diversity and inclusion within the field.

In 1946, Staupers successfully led a campaign to end racial segregation in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, which resulted in the full integration of Black nurses into the military nursing corps. Her advocacy also played a significant role in the desegregation of nursing schools and hospitals across the country.

Staupers co-founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) in 1908, an organization that fought for the rights and recognition of Black nurses. She served as the executive secretary of the NACGN for many years and worked to improve opportunities and access to education for Black nursing students.

Throughout her career, Mabel Keaton Staupers was a relentless champion for racial equality in the nursing profession and a trailblazer who paved the way for future generations of nurses of color. Her legacy continues to inspire and empower Black nurses and healthcare professionals to this day.