The Troy University School of Nursing and Sigma Iota Theta, Troy’s chapter of Sigma International Honor Society of Nursing, will host a special lecture featuring author Maria Smilios on Thursday, September 11, at 2 p.m. in Jones Hall on the Troy Campus.  

The event will also include a book signing for Smilios’ debut work, The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis. Nursing attendees are eligible to receive one hour of CE credit. 

Smilios’ book sheds light on the unsung Black nurses who risked their lives and played a vital role in helping cure tuberculosis in the 20th century. Praised for its depth of research and compelling storytelling, The Black Angels uncovers a history that had long remained hidden from public view. 

“We are excited to welcome Maria Smilios to Troy University and to provide our students, faculty, alumni, and community members the opportunity to engage with her important work,” said Dr. Wade Forehand, Director of the School of Nursing. “Her book, The Black Angels, shines a light on a vital piece of nursing history, and we are honored to host her for this lecture and book signing.” 

A native of New York City, Smilios holds a Master of Arts in Religion & Literature from Boston University, where she was a Henry Luce Scholar and Presidential Scholar. She later returned to New York to teach at an all-girls high school, where she developed an intensive summer writing program for teens.  

Her career has also included five years as a Development Editor in the Biomedical Sciences with Springer Science & Media, working on publications in lung diseases, pediatric and breast cancer, neurology, and ocular diseases.  

The September 11 lecture offers nursing students, alumni, and the wider community a chance to hear directly from Smilios about the research behind her work and the lasting impact of the “Black Angels” in both nursing history and the fight against tuberculosis. 

The event is free and open to the public. Copies of The Black Angels will be available for purchase and signing following the lecture. 

Please click here to register.