The NLN was founded in 1893 as the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses and was the first organization for nursing in U.S. In 1912 it was renamed the National League for Nursing Education and released the first Standard Curriculum for Schools of Nursing in 1917. In 1952 the NLN combined with the National Organization for Public Health Nursing and the Association for Collegiate Schools of Nursing as the National League for Nursing and assumed responsibility for the accreditation of nursing schools in the U.S.
A collection of papers including proceedings of annual conventions, minutes of meetings, biographical data of early leaders, correspondence and photos is held at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland.