Nursing history is firmly rooted in social and political activism; however, both the word activism and its defined actions have been minimized in modern nursing practice. This paper seeks to define activism, its uses, and importance to the nursing discipline. A concept analysis using the Walker and Avant (2019) method was conducted. Literature sources were identified through a search of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO along with hand searches of reference lists. Nursing activism is a concept that extends from within the discipline's ethical responsibilities and social contract with humanity. Activism differs from advocacy or engagement as it requires the expenditure of energy including personal, social, and/or political capital. Nursing activism is a necessary response to health inequities, social accountability, and advancement of the nursing profession.