8 9 2 – 1 9 6 5 ) ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁woman ▁accepted ▁into ▁the ▁American ▁Red ▁Cross ▁N urs ing ▁Service . ▁She ▁earned ▁this ▁recognition ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Elli ott ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Sh el by , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁into ▁an ▁illegal ▁inter ra cial ▁marriage ▁of ▁an ▁African - American ▁Ch ero kee ▁share ▁cro pper ▁and ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁plant ation ▁owner . ▁T rag edy ▁struck ▁and ▁her ▁father ▁had ▁to ▁fle e . ▁By ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁five ▁both ▁of ▁her ▁parents ▁were ▁dead . ▁In ▁the ▁fost er ▁care ▁system , ▁her ▁education ▁was ▁sp or adic ▁at ▁best , ▁but ▁she ▁hon ed ▁her ▁own ▁reading ▁and ▁writing ▁skills ▁despite ▁having ▁no ▁teacher . ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁early ▁career ▁Elli ott ▁graduated ▁Kno x ville ▁College ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁and ▁took ▁a ▁teaching ▁career ▁to ▁pay ▁for ▁further ▁education . ▁But ▁Elli ott ▁long ed ▁" to ▁be ▁a ▁nur se ▁and ▁help ▁little ▁children ." ▁Elli ott ▁entered ▁the ▁Fre ed men ’ s ▁Hospital ▁Training ▁School ▁for ▁N urs es ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 . ▁The ▁final ▁ex ams ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁were ▁given ▁to ▁students ▁based ▁on ▁race ; ▁the ▁exam ▁for ▁the ▁white ▁n urs es ▁was ▁considered ▁the ▁hard est ▁and ▁most ▁highly ▁este emed . ▁Elli ott ▁demanded