Community Room Named After Pioneering Nurse Vera Booker

Vera Jenkins Booker was one of the first African American nurses hired by the Dallas County Health Department.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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The Community Room at the Dallas County Health Department in Selma, Alabama has been officially renamed the Vera Jenkins Booker Community Room to honor the legacy of Booker, a trailblazing nurse who broke racial barriers in the 1960s. Booker was one of the first African American nurses hired by the health department and her impact on the community was celebrated at a dedication ceremony attended by state Senator Robert Stewart, who credited Booker with caring for him as a child.

Why it matters

Vera Booker's story highlights the important role nurses played in the civil rights movement, including caring for those injured during protests. Renaming the community room in her honor recognizes her pioneering work and the barriers she overcame as an African American woman in the medical field during a time of segregation.

The details

Booker began her nursing career at Good Samaritan Hospital before joining the Dallas County Health Department in 1965. She was the nurse supervisor on the overnight shift when Jimmie Lee Jackson was brought to the hospital after being beaten and shot during a voting rights protest in Marion. Booker helped care for Jackson before he died from his injuries, an event that inspired the historic Selma to Montgomery marches.

  • Booker was hired by the Dallas County Health Department in 1965.
  • On February 13, 2026, the Community Room at the Dallas County Health Department was officially renamed the Vera Jenkins Booker Community Room.

The players

Vera Jenkins Booker

A trailblazing nurse who was one of the first African American nurses hired by the Dallas County Health Department and played a key role in caring for civil rights activists during the 1960s.

Robert Stewart

An Alabama state senator who was instrumental in getting the community room renamed in honor of Booker, and who was cared for by Booker as a child.

Jimmie Lee Jackson

A civil rights activist who was beaten and shot during a voting rights protest in Marion, Alabama in 1965. Booker helped care for him at Good Samaritan Hospital before he died from his injuries, an event that inspired the historic Selma to Montgomery marches.

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What they’re saying

“She [Booker] knew me before I knew myself. Throughout your life, you have seen our country at its greatest heights and lowest inflection points. Thank you for keeping us healthy and for always encouraging us to do the right thing.”

— Robert Stewart, Alabama State Senator (selmatimesjournal.com)

What’s next

The dedication ceremony and renaming of the community room is a permanent tribute to Vera Booker's legacy, ensuring her pioneering work as a nurse and civil rights advocate will be remembered for generations to come.

The takeaway

Vera Booker's story is a powerful reminder of the critical role nurses played in the civil rights movement, often risking their own safety to care for those injured during protests. By renaming the community room in her honor, the Dallas County Health Department is ensuring Booker's trailblazing legacy will continue to inspire future generations of nurses and healthcare workers.