Clara Barton

Hello! My name is Clara Barton. I was born on a chilly Christmas Day, December 25th, 1821, in Massachusetts. As a little girl, I was very, very shy. But when I was 11 years old, something happened that changed my life. My older brother David had a terrible accident in 1832 and was badly hurt. For two years, I was his nurse, and I discovered that I loved taking care of people more than anything. It made my shyness melt away.

When I grew up, I decided to become a teacher. Starting in 1839, I taught in schools for many years. I even opened the very first free public school in Bordentown, New Jersey, in 1852! Later, in 1854, I moved to Washington, D.C., for a new adventure. I got a job as a clerk at the U.S. Patent Office. It was unusual for a woman to have a government job like that back then, and I made sure I was paid the same as the men doing the same work. I always believed in fairness.

In 1861, a terrible war began in America—the Civil War. When I saw wounded soldiers returning to Washington, D.C., I knew I had to help. At first, I just collected bandages and food. But soon, I realized I needed to be where the help was needed most: right on the battlefield. I got permission to bring my own supplies to the front lines. I would cook for the soldiers, tend to their wounds, and comfort them. They started calling me the 'Angel of the Battlefield.' It was dangerous work, but I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

After the war ended in 1865, my work wasn't finished. So many families didn't know what had happened to their sons and husbands. With President Abraham Lincoln's help, I started the Office of Missing Soldiers. My team and I worked tirelessly, and we were able to find out what happened to more than 22,000 men! A few years later, in 1869, I traveled to Europe to rest. While there, I learned about an organization called the International Red Cross, which helped wounded soldiers from all sides during wars. I thought it was a brilliant idea.

I returned home with a new mission: to create an American Red Cross. It took a lot of time and convincing, but I knew how much good it could do. Finally, on May 21st, 1881, we did it! The American Red Cross was born. I made sure our Red Cross would not only help people during wars but also during other disasters, like floods, forest fires, and hurricanes. I wanted there to be an organization ready to help anyone, anytime, anywhere.

I led the American Red Cross for 23 years, helping people through all sorts of challenges. I lived to be 90 years old, and my life was full of purpose. Today, the American Red Cross continues the work I started so long ago, offering help and hope to people in need. It fills my heart to know that the simple desire I had as a little girl—to help others—grew into something so big and beautiful that it still touches lives all over the world.