[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 11, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H618-H619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING STATEN ISLAND'S BLACK ANGELS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Malliotakis) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. MALLIOTAKIS. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation celebrates Black History 
Month, I rise to honor Staten Island's own Black Angels.
  Seventy years ago, tuberculosis plagued our Nation, killing over 1 
billion worldwide and accounting for nearly 18 percent of all deaths in 
New York City alone. Fear of this unknown, highly contagious, and 
deadly disease led many nurses who were treating tuberculosis patients 
to quit.
  In search of staff, New York City turned to African-American nurses 
from the Jim Crow south who could not find jobs due to segregation, and 
300 women bravely accepted New York City's request to help to serve 
sick patients, taking advantage of the opportunity for employment in a 
career field often withheld from them. They became known as the Black 
Angels.
  These nurses selflessly cared for 2,000 patients in my district at 
Staten Island's Sea View Hospital. They played a significant role in 
the first ever human trials and the first drug to cure tuberculosis.
  Since its discovery in 1952, tens of millions of lives have been 
saved, and these women all did it at a time when they didn't even have 
equal rights in our country.

                              {time}  1015

  I am proud to represent the last remaining Black Angel who worked 
during the trial. Staten Island's Virginia Allen began as a 16-year-old 
pediatric nurse's aide and worked in the ward for 10 years.
  She was there during the clinical trials and is one of the two Black 
Angels who are still alive today. She continues to selflessly serve our 
community as president of the North Shore, Staten Island Section of the 
National Council of Negro Women.
  Last year, I honored Virginia, along with Curlene Jennings Bennett, 
who had later on come to serve at Seaview in 1957 in the adult 
pavilion.

[[Page H619]]

  They, along with their fellow Black Angels, were recognized for their 
heroic achievements in the Congressional Record in an article that I 
submitted so they will be applauded and recognized for years to come.
  I also hosted them and their families and descendants in my Staten 
Island office to properly acknowledge the contributions they made to 
our community.
  Also, I am very happy to have worked with our local city councilman, 
David Carr, to get legislation passed through the council to rename a 
street outside of Seaview Hospital in their honor. That will soon 
happen. I thank Councilman David Carr for getting this done so we can 
unveil it this spring.
  Their riveting story is beautifully laid out in the book ``The Black 
Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis'' 
by Maria Smilios, which I had the opportunity to read last month. I 
encourage everyone to read this powerful book to learn about this 
inspiring piece of our Nation's history.
  The Black Angels heard the call to arms and boldly, proudly stepped 
into the hallowed halls of Seaview Hospital with their mission to care 
for the infirm, knowing they were putting their lives at great risk.
  Their story is finally being shared with the world, and it is fitting 
that we bestow upon them all the accolades that they were deserving 
then during this Black History Month and each and every day moving 
forward.
  I thank them for their service to Staten Island, to our city, to our 
Nation, and to the world.

                          ____________________