Did you know Clara Barton founded the Red Cross? Read on. Today in Mighty Girl history, Clara Barton, the angel of the battlefield and founder and first president of the American Red Cross, was born in 1821. Bartons professional life began in education when she became a teacher at the age of 15. 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, which she worked with while in Europe, to form the American Association of the Red Cross in 1881. 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. Her most enduring legacy, however, was the founding of the organization which has grown to become the largest humanitarian organization providing emergency assistance and disaster relief in the United States. On A Mighty Girl, you can find several books to introduce your children to Clara Barton and her remarkable legacy including: “Clara Barton: Angel of the Battlefield” for readers 6 to 10 (amightygirl/clara-barton-angel-of-the-battle…) or the early chapter book “Clara Barton: Spirit of the American Red Cross” for readers 6 to 8 (amightygirl/clara-barton-spirit-of-the-ameri…).
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 23:19:23 +0000
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