todayinhistory:

May 14th 1881: Mary Seacole dies

On this day in 1881, the nurse Mary Seacole died in London aged
76. Originally from Jamaica, the young Mary was taught her nursing
skills by her mother. When war broke out in the Crimea, she applied to
give medical assistance to wounded servicemen but was refused, and so
gave treatment independently. Her patients admired ‘Mother Seacole’ and
helped raised money for her after the war when she was left destitute.
Despite her exemplary national service and popularity in Britain,
Seacole faced discrimination at home due to her race, and was unable to
vote or hold public office. She has thus often been forgotten and placed in
the shadow of famous Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale, however, in
2004 Seacole was voted the greatest black Briton.