THE HONORABLE ROSA FRANKLIN, RN
The Honorable Rosa Franklin, RN, is the first black woman elected to the Washington State Senate. After graduating from the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital School of Nursing, Columbia, South Carolina, she dedicated more than 40 years to the nursing profession. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and English from the University of Puget Sound, a master’s degree in social sciences and human relations from Pacific Lutheran University, and also holds a women’s Health Care Specialist Certificate from the University of Washington.
She was elected to the State legislature in 1990, serving there until January 1993, when she was sworn in as Senator from the 29th legislative District. She was a prime sponsor of a bill to fund a nursing resource center to “safeguard and promote patient safety and quality of care” and “address the nursing shortage and ensuring that the public continues to receive safe, quality care,” which became the Washington Center for Nursing. With numerous achievements, she retired in 2010.
Franklin’s many honors include an honorary doctorate from the University of Puget Sound, a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Washington State Democratic Party, and an induction into the Washington State Nurses Association Hall of Fame.