A Battlefield Angel: Edith Monture
Edith Monture, a Mohawk nurse from the Six Nations Reserve, defied systemic racism and colonial restrictions to become the first Indigenous woman from Canada to qualify as a registered nurse—earning her credentials in the U.S. during a time when Canadian schools refused her. When the First World War erupted, she joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, serving in front-line hospitals in France where she cared for wounded soldiers under relentless bombardment and in conditions of extreme trauma. Her story is one of quiet heroism: holding the hand of a dying soldier named Earl King, writing letters for amputees, and enduring the emotional toll of watching young men die in agony. Despite being denied the vote as an Indigenous woman, she gained suffrage as a veteran and became the first status Indigenous woman to vote in a Canadian federal election—though it would take 40 more years for all Indigenous women to gain that right. Her legacy lives on through schools, parks, and the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association she helped found, and her birthday now marks Indigenous Nurses Day. Edith’s life—spanning from 1890 to 1996—was a testament to resilience, compassion, and the quiet power of service in the face of injustice.
Edith Monture became the first Indigenous woman from Canada to qualify as a registered nurse by graduating top of her class from New Rochelle Nursing School in 1914.
She served as a nurse in France during the First World War, working in base hospital 23 near Vitelle under constant threat of German artillery and U-boat attacks.
After the war, she became the first status Indigenous woman to vote in a Canadian federal election due to her veteran status—though Indigenous women were denied the vote until 1960.
She campaigned tirelessly for Indigenous women’s right to vote and helped found the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association in 1975.
Edith Monture was honored as a National Historic Person in 2025 and her birthday, April 10th, is now recognized as Indigenous Nurses Day.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction and Tribute to Edith Monture
Craig Baird introduces the episode during National Indigenous History Month, setting the stage for the story of Edith Monture, a pioneering Indigenous nurse who served in the First World War.
Early Life on the Six Nations Reserve
Edith Monture’s birth in 1890 on the Six Nations Reserve is explored, highlighting the colonial constraints of the Indian Act and the cultural strength of Mohawk traditions.
Barriers to Nursing and the U.S. Path
Despite excelling academically, Edith was denied admission to Canadian nursing schools due to systemic racism and the Indian Act’s gendered restrictions.
Breaking Barriers in New York
Edith crossed into the U.S. to attend New Rochelle Nursing School, graduating at the top of her class in 1914—becoming the first Indigenous Canadian woman to become a registered nurse.
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
A historical interlude on the assassination in Sarajevo, which triggered the First World War and ultimately led to Edith’s deployment to Europe.
“Edith wrote, My heart was broken, cried most of the day, could not sleep.”
“If it was going to prevent Edith from becoming a registered nurse, she wasn't going to be limited by a bunch of old white men who couldn't give her a place in Canada.”
“And that's how Edith became the first status Indigenous woman and registered band member to vote in a Canadian federal election.”
Host
Edith Monture
person
First World War
other
Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve
place
Indian Act
other
Base Hospital 23
organization
Earl King
person
U.S. Army Nurse Corps
organization
Gavrilo Princip
person
New Rochelle Nursing School
organization
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
person
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