Black History Month reminds us there is a lot of history within the nurse anesthesia profession. This month, we pause to celebrate the achievements of amazing, inspirational woman like Goldie Brangman, CRNA, MEd, MBA.
Brangman was an accomplished CRNA and an exceptional mentor for CRNAs all over the world. She served as the first and only African American President of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), and she was the founder and director of the Harlem Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia.
Mentoring numerous CRNAs and specifically CRNAs of color, she was instrumental in the treatment of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after a near-fatal assassination attempt in 1958. A letter opener had been jammed deep into his chest. He was rushed to Harlem Hospital where Brangman was a member of his surgery team.
Brangman was president of the New York Association of Nurse Anesthetists from 1960-1961, and won numerous awards and honors, including:
· Ann Magnussen Award (1996)
· Agatha Hodgins Award (1995)
· Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award (1983)
Brangman was an active participant at AANA meetings throughout the years, as well as Mid-Year Assembly.
She retired in 1985, living in Hawaii since 1987 and continuing to volunteer eight hours a day with the Red Cross long into her retirement. Brangman died in February 2020 at the age of 102.
Black History is everyone’s history --- and Goldie Brangman was a force to be reckoned with. We appreciate her expertise and trailblazing for young Black CRNAs. This month and every month, we celebrate you, Goldie!