05/22/2025
Clara Barton held the first official meeting of the American Red Cross in her Washington, DC apartment this week in 1881. Over the past 141 years, the pioneering nurse's organization has grown to become the largest humanitarian organization providing emergency assistance and disaster relief in the United States.
Born in 1821, Clara Barton became a teacher at the age of 15 and worked in the U.S. Patent Office as a clerk in her 30s. With the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War in 1861, however, Barton knew that her help was needed and she quickly became involved by providing supplies and support to wounded soldiers. Before long, she was aiding soldiers in combat, which earned her the nickname “the angel of the battlefield”. Toward the end of the war, Barton was instrumental in establishing a way to reunite missing men with their families, foreshadowing what is still today one of the Red Cross’ most valuable services.
Following the Civil War, she traveled to Europe and continued her work by assisting with the preparation of military hospitals during the Franco-Prussian War. Barton was inspired by the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, to form the American Association of the Red Cross. She served as the organization's president until 1904. In addition to her tireless work for wounded and needy soldiers, Barton was active in many other pursuits, including women’s suffrage, civil rights, education, and prison reform.
To introduce children to Clara Barton's remarkable career, we recommend the chapter book "Brave Clara Barton" for ages 5 to 7 (https://www.amightygirl.com/brave-clara-barton), the richly detailed picture book "To the Front! Clara Barton Braves the Battle of Antietam" for ages 6 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/to-the-front), and the illustrated biography "Who Was Clara Barton?" for ages 8 to 12 (https://www.amightygirl.com/who-was-clara-barton)
She is also featured among the 21 pioneering female doctors in “Bold Women of Medicine" for teen and adult readers at https://www.amightygirl.com/bold-women-of-medicine
For adults who would like to learn more about her life and legacy, check out "Woman of Valor: Clara Barton and the Civil War" at https://www.amightygirl.com/a-woman-of-valor
If your Mighty Girl wants to imagine herself as a nurse or doctor saving the day, we've showcased our top picks of children's books about pioneering female medical professionals, toys, science kits, and clothing in our blog post, "Medical Heroes" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=29667
For books for children, teens, and adults about the heroic women of the Suffrage Movement, visit our blog post, "The Best Books About the U.S. Suffrage Movement For Kids and Adults, ” at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11827
