Martha E. Rogers: A Short Biography

Martha Elizabeth Rogers was born on May 12, 1914; sharing a birthday with Florence Nightingale. She began her academic career when she entered the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1931 where she remained for 2 years.

She stated that: "I took the science-med course. It was more substantial than straight pre-med and included more science and maths. I took psychology, French, Zoology, Genetics, Embryology and many other courses" (Hektor, 1989).

However, she didn’t complete the course, instead she entered nursing school at Knoxville General Hospital in September 1933. She received her nursing diploma in 1936 and her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health Nursing form the George Peabody College in Nashville in 1937 and then became a public health nurse in rural Michigan where she stayed for 2 years before returning to further study. In 1945 she earned her master’s degree from Teacher’s College Columbia University, New York. She then became a public health nurse in Hartford, CT, advancing from staff nurse to acting Director of Education. After this she established and eventually became the Executive Director of the first Visiting Nurse Service in Phoenix, AZ. She left Arizona in 1951 and returned to school at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD.

Rogers was appointed Head of the Division of Nursing at New York University in 1954. In about 1963 Martha edited a journal called Nursing Science. It was during that time that Rogers was beginning to formulate ideas about the publication of her third book An Introduction to the Theoretical Basis of Nursing (Rogers, 1970).

Rogers officially retired as Professor and Head of the Division of Nursing in 1975 after 21 years of service. In 1979 she became Professor Emeritus and continued to have an active role in the development of nursing and the SUHB up until the time of her death on March 13, 1994.

Bibliography and/or Additional Sources of Biographical Information

Barrett EAM and Malinski VM (Eds, 1994) Martha E Rogers: 80 years of excellence. SRS Inc Press, New York.

Hektor LM (1989) Martha E Rogers: A Life History. Nursing Science Quarterly 2; 2, 63-73.

Malinski VM and Barrett EAM (1994) Martha E Rogers: Her Life and Work. F A Davis, Philadelphia.

Rogers ME (1970) An introduction to the theoretical basis of nursing. F A Davis, Philadelphia.

ANA Hall of Fame Martha Rogers Inductee Page

Martha Rogers' papers and memorabilia can be seen by appointment at the History of Nursing Archives, which are part of the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University. See http://www.bu.edu/archives/holdings/historical/nursingindividuals.html

Other papers and memorabilia can be seen by appointment at the Foundation of New York State Nurses. See http://www.foundationnysnurses.org/collections/martharogers.htm

Do you really want to see Martha Rogers' gravesite? 

Photo Gallery

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		FAMILY PORTRAIT Bruce (Father), Martha, Laura (Sister), Lucy (Mother) and Keener (Brother)			Martha's third book "An Introduction to the Theoretical Basis of Nursing" (1970)		Martha with Joanne Griffin
		Dunster Castle Martha's ancestral home in Somerset, UK			Martha Rogers and her predecessor Vera Fry at NYU circa 1954		Just visiting this planet! (photo by M Bramlett, 1991)
		Martha in her teens			Martha Rogers with John Phillips		Front cover of Reveille in Nursing (1964)
		Martha Rogers at an ANA convention, New York			Martha with Sr Callista Roy		Fran Biley and Elizabeth Barrett
		Martha at an end of year faculty party ?year			Martha and Howard Butcher		Martha and Linda Aiken
		Martha at Kitty Hawk			Three Marthas!

Quicktime Audio & Video Clips

The following are 5 video clips and 1 audio clip of Martha. You will need a Quicktime Player loaded on your computer to listen and view the clips. Click the Quicktime "Q" below to get the latest player for your computer.