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Coretta Scott King presenting the keynote address at NYSNA's 2001 Convention.

Remembering Coretta Scott King

NYSNA members mourn the passing of Coretta Scott King, a legendary civil rights leader and advocate for health care and nursing.

Speaking at NYSNA’s annual convention in 2001, Mrs. King praised nurses for their dedication, saying, “It takes somebody very special to deal with human suffering day in and day out.”

She went on, “No matter how much military superiority we achieve, we will be weak at the vital center . . . until we produce a healthcare system that provides comprehensive coverage for every person in America. Health care is not a privilege to be granted to those who can afford it, but a moral obligation of every nation. Indeed, it is a fundamental human right.”

Mrs. King was a visionary who will be greatly missed.

With more than 34,000 members, NYSNA is the oldest and largest state nurses’ association in the nation. It is an influential union for RNs, representing nurses in New York and New Jersey. Offering a wide range of services to its members, NYSNA fosters high standards of nursing education and practice and works to advance the profession through legislative activity. It is a constituent of the American Nurses Association and of the United American Nurses, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.