Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in May of 1881. For more than 140 years, the American Red Cross has been powered by compassion and service. From Clara Barton's bold vision to the extraordinary humanitarians shaping the mission today, the organization offers help and hope in times of crisis.
‘You must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it’
December 25 marks the birthday of American Red Cross founder Clara Barton, who was born more than 200 years ago and is one of the most honored women in American history.
A compassionate and tenacious trailblazer, Clara believed in serving others and built a legacy of service, innovation and hope when she founded the American Red Cross at age 59 and led the organization for more than 20 years, saying, “You must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it.”
ANGEL OF THE BATTLEFIELD Born on Christmas Day in 1821, Clarissa Harlowe Barton — or Clara, as she wished to be called — was the fifth child of Stephen and Sarah Barton in North Oxford, Massachusetts. During her early career, she successfully obtained equal pay as in-demand teacher. As she put it then, “I may sometimes be willing to teach for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man’s work for less than a man's pay.”
After teaching, Clara moved to Washington, D.C., and worked at the U.S. Patent Office, where she was one of the first women to work for the federal government. Driven by a desire to be useful and help those in need, she sprang into action when the Civil War broke out, earning the nickname “Angel of the Battlefield” for her work to care for soldiers on the frontlines. Exhausted after the war ended, she took a doctor’s medical advice to rest in Europe — an experience that led her to establish the American Red Cross.
VOLUNTEERING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS When Clara visited Geneva, Switzerland in 1869, she was approached by representatives of the International Red Cross, who asked her to establish a society in the U.S. because of her notable humanitarian work. Founded by Henry Durant, the Red Cross was built on the idea of international agreements to protect the sick and wounded during wartime without respect to nationality, and to form national societies that would provide aid voluntarily on a neutral basis.
While Clara was in Europe, she was able to experience the mission firsthand during the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. As a volunteer for the International Red Cross, Clara helped distribute relief supplies to the war-torn city of Strasbourg and elsewhere in France. She also opened workrooms to help Strasbourg residents make sorely needed clothes and restore their livelihoods.
ESTABLISHING THE AMERICAN RED CROSS Inspired by her experiences in Europe, Barton corresponded with Red Cross officials in Switzerland after her return to the United States. In May 1881, after leading a multi-year effort to gather support in the U.S. and establish the organization, Clara founded the American Red Cross. The next year in 1882, the U.S. government signed the Treaty of Geneva — international humanitarian laws that, to this day, protect the sick and wounded during wartime and form national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to deliver neutral aid voluntarily.
Several years later in 1900, the American Red Cross received its first congressional charter. The most recent version of the charter, adopted in May 2007, restates the purpose of the organization, which includes giving relief to and serving as a medium of communication between members of the U.S. armed forces and their families, as well as providing national and international disaster relief and mitigation.
WOMEN LEADING WITH HEART AND HUMANITY For more than 140 years, the American Red Cross has been powered by compassion and service. From Clara’s bold vision to the extraordinary humanitarians shaping the mission today, women have always been at the heart of the Red Cross — as volunteers, donors, staff and leaders. Their dedication ensures the organization can offer help and hope in times of crisis.
JOIN US TO CONTINUE CLARA’S LEGACY Clara’s vision of preventing and alleviating suffering continues today as ordinary people continue to advance her extraordinary legacy through the American Red Cross, touching millions of lives each year across the globe. Visit redcross.org to get involved by making a financial donation, giving blood, volunteering or learning lifesaving skills. Learn more about Clara, including this video and story map of how she helped around the world.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
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