Profile of the Day: Clara Barton

Clara Barton

Today we remember pioneering nurse Clara Barton, who died on April 12, 1912 at the age of 90. A battlefield nurse and founder of the American Red Cross, Barton is remembered for her incredible humanitarian work throughout her life.

She was born Clarissa Harlow Barton on December 25, 1821 in Oxford, Massachusetts. The youngest of five children, Barton found her calling for helping people at a young age. At the age of 10, she helped nurse her brother back to health after he received a serious injury.

A nurse during the American Civil War, Barton risked her life to help wounded soldiers on the battlefield, earning her the nickname, “Angel of the Battlefield.” After the war, President Abraham Lincoln authorized Barton to run the Office of Missing Soldiers to locate and identify soldiers killed or missing in action. By the time the office closed in 1867, she had helped identify the fate of over 22,000 men.

In 1881, Barton founded the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. Barton had first worked with the International Red Cross behind German lines during the Franco-Prussian War. As soon as she returned to the Untied States, Barton campaigned for the establishment of the American Red Cross organization to provide emergency aid in the event of a crisis from war or natural disaster. She served as the organization’s first president and held the position for 23 years.

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View Clara Barton’s Geni Profile

 
Image: Library of Congress