Clara

Born Clarissa Harlowe Barton in Massachusetts in 1821, she began her working life as a teacher and later worked as a patent clerk in Washington, D.C. During the American Civil War, she brought supplies and nursing care directly to soldiers in the field, earning a reputation for courage and determination.

After the war, she helped identify missing soldiers and continued speaking and writing about the need for organized relief work. A trip to Europe introduced her to the International Red Cross movement, and after returning home she led the effort to create the American Red Cross in 1881.

She remained a central figure in the organization for many years, helping shape disaster relief in the United States. Remembered for practical compassion and relentless energy, she left behind a story that still feels vivid, urgent, and deeply human.