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A Life of Service
You have never known me without work; while able, you never will."
-- Clara Barton
Clara Barton lived a life that transcended limitations. She built a career of humanitarian service in a society that did not grant her full rights because of her gender.
When Clara Barton moved into this house in 1897, she was 75 years old and had gained international fame for her work in the Civil War. After the war, Clara Barton traveled to Europe where she learned about the International Red Cross. She served with the German Red Cross in the Franco Prussian War and earned several honors. When she returned to America, she spent 5 years lobbying Congress to ratify the Treaty of Geneva in order to establish the American Red Cross. In Glen Echo, Miss Barton continued her work in foreign aid, diplomacy, and equal rights while leading the American Red Cross. Along the way, Clara Barton developed ways of thinking that are part of our lives today. She gave us the first aid kit, emergency preparedness, and was a pioneer of natural disaster relief. |