Hattie Bessent (March 7, 1908 – October 31, 2015) was an American psychiatric nurse.
Perhaps her most significant accomplishments lie in her efforts to recruit members of ethnic minority groups into the field of nursing and provide training and mentorship to increase the proportion of members of ethnic minority groups in nursing leadership positions.
Bessent served as a Deputy Executive Director at the American Nurses Association for the Ethnic/Racial Minority Fellowship Program (EMFP) for 28 years, where she developed several programs for nursing professionals and students.
Being a member of the Commission for Friendship Treaty for Americans, Dr. Hattie Bessent was sent to China through the authorization of former President Jimmy Carter.
[3] Bessent was designated as a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing, at the academy's 40th Annual Meeting and Conference in 2013.