Women on Stamps: Part 2

Many of the women depicted on United States postage stamps have made significant contributions to their chosen professions. In "Women on Stamps: Part 2", we feature women who pioneered in the fields of health, science, education, philanthropy, aviation and athletics. This is the second virtual exhibit in a series of four.

Health: Saving Lives

During the 19th century, the medical profession was male-dominated as only men could receive formal medical training. Still, pioneering women began to receive formal training and become practicing doctors. Their efforts paved the way for others to enter the field. Women’s role in healthcare has continued to evolve to the present day as women continue to work as physicians, nurses, medical specialists and researchers.

Nursing was one of the first ways women began to take an active role in the medical profession. Their valuable services during the Civil War helped save lives and improve sanitation. The achievements of these women encouraged other females to enter the medical profession after the war. Today nurses continue their work in maintaining the health of society by caring for the sick, assisting doctors and aiding in health research and education.

Elizabeth Blackwell

Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) became the first American woman to receive a medical degree in 1849, when she graduated first in her class from Geneva Medical College in New York. After continuing her studies in Europe, she returned to the United States and founded the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children in 1853.

During the Civil War Dr. Blackwell trained women to be nurses for the Union Army. She noted how many women were interested in medicine but were denied admittance to predominantly male medical schools. She promptly opened the Woman’s Medical College of New York in 1868, and then created a similar school in England. After her retirement, Dr. Blackwell remained active in the women’s rights movement and was a prolific writer, publishing several books on disease and hygiene.

Caring for the Wounded in the Civil War: Phoebe Pember

Phoebe Pember (1823-1913) was born to a wealthy and prominent family in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1862, widowed and childless, she accepted an offer to work as a nurse and administrator of Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond, Virginia - the largest military hospital in the world during the Civil War. She managed the care and diets for over 700 patients housed in the hospital, and regulated the supply of whisky for medical purposes only. After the war Phoebe wrote her autobiography, A Southern Woman’s Story, which continues to be a valuable record of the conditions of hospitals during the Civil War.

Caring for the Wounded in the Civil War: Mary Edwards Walker

Mary Walker (1832-1919) was the second American woman to earn her medical degree. She volunteered to work as a field surgeon for the Union Army, employed first as a civilian before being accepted as an employee. She not only treated the wounded, but also crossed the front lines to treat injured civilians, once getting captured and imprisoned by the Confederates. She became the first woman officer ever exchanged as a prisoner of war for a man of the same rank. In 1865, Dr. Walker became the first (and so far only) woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for Meritorious Service. After the war, she continued to advocate women’s rights and dress reform, refusing to wear restrictive women’s clothing. In 1917, her Medal of Honor was one of 900 that the U.S. Army rescinded, but Mary refused to return it. In 1977 her medal was reinstated.

Health and Social Reform: Dorothea Dix

Many health problems in the 19th century were linked to poor sanitation and a lack of understanding of diseases. Women such as Dorothea Dix, Jane Addams and Alice Hamilton recognized problems within their communities and vowed to help. Their works improved living conditions for thousands, setting a standard of health that continues to the present day.

Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) worked ardently for prison reform and to aid the mentally ill. She had been teaching for 20 years when she fell ill and travelled to Europe to recuperate. During her time in England she met people working to reform prisons and improve care for the mentally ill. At that time, prisons housed both criminals and the mentally ill who could not function in society.

Upon returning to the United States Dorothea witnessed the pitiable conditions of the prisons in America. She immediately took action, gathering clothes for inmates, recording conditions at jails and helping several states pass legislation for the mentally ill. Dorothea eventually founded 32 mental hospitals and 15 schools for children with learning disabilities, as well as schools for the blind and nursing schools.

Health and Social Reform: Jane Addams

When Jane Addams (1860-1935) saw the poverty facing many immigrant families, she vowed to help. In 1889, Jane established Hull House in an impoverished neighborhood of Chicago. The settlement home provided the poor and working class, with much needed social services, such as child care and improved sanitation. Jane strongly opposed child labor, helping to pass child labor laws in Illinois. The mayor selected Jane as Chicago’s first female sanitary inspector and her successful policies reduced the death rate in her ward dramatically. She served as president of the Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom for ten years. In 1931 Jane became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The Jane Addams stamp was issued on April 26, 1940.

Health and Social Reform: Alice Hamilton

Young Dr. Alice Hamilton (1869-1970) heard Jane Addams speak and joined the staff at Hull House, beginning her lifelong effort to improve conditions for the working class in America. In 1910 she was appointed by the Governor of Illinois to investigate industrial diseases, such as lead and carbon monoxide poisoning, becoming a pioneer in industrial medicine. Her discoveries led to worker’s compensation laws, safer working conditions, and the abolishment of child labor. She became the first female faculty member of Harvard Medical School in 1919. Alice continued to work for the United States and the League of Nations conducting industrial studies on pollution. Alice once said “I wouldn’t change my life a bit...For me the satisfaction is that things are better now, and I had some part in it.” The Alice Hamilton stamp was issued on July 11, 1995.

Fighting Disease: Emily Bissell

Many women played a critical role in elevating awareness of certain deadly diseases as well as raising funds to combat their effects.

Emily Bissell (1861-1948) founded Wilmington, Delaware’s first public kindergarten, worked to introduce child labor laws and fought for women’s suffrage. In 1907 she was asked to help raise funds for a small facility working to fight tuberculosis. At the time, tuberculosis was a greatly feared disease, with no known cure. Emily knew of a Danish charity campaign that raised funds by selling special adhesive seals that could be placed on holiday greeting cards. She replicated this idea in Delaware. The funding project proved so popular that the Christmas seals, which featured Christmas or holiday imagery, were sold nationwide the following year. Emily spent the rest of her life promoting Christmas seals and fighting tuberculosis, with the help of the American Red Cross and the National Tuberculosis Association. In 1980, the U.S. Postal Service honored Emily with her very own postagestamp.

Fighting Disease: Clara Maass

Clara Maass (1876-1901) was a contract nurse with the U.S. Army in Florida, Georgia and Cuba during the Spanish American War. She saw how many deaths occurred not because of combat, but from yellow fever. The cause of the disease was unknown and Clara volunteered for a medical experiment to help determine how it was spread. She allowed herself to be bitten by mosquitoes, which were suspected to transmit the disease. She recovered the first time she contracted the disease, but after volunteering a second time she succumbed to the illness. Her sacrifice helped determine how yellow fever was spread. In 1976, the centennial of her birth, Clara was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame and honored on a stamp by the Postal Service.

Expanding Healthcare: Mary Breckinridge

The women who entered healthcare professions vowed to help all people in need. Mary Breckinridge and Virginia Apgar focused their attention on improving prenatal and infant care, ensuring that all babies had a healthy start on life.

From 1925 until her death, Mary Breckinridge (1881-1965) worked to modernize health care in rural America. She found the high maternal death rate in America appalling. The professionalism and skill of European midwives inspired Mary to found the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS) in Kentucky in 1925. She trained midwives to reach families in rural areas and personally gave nursing care when needed. The FNS has served over 64,000 rural mothers, children and families. For her work, Mary was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame and the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

Expanding Healthcare: Virginia Apgar

One of the first medical tests every newborn receives is their APGAR score. The test, developed by Virginia Apgar (1909-1974), evaluates a newborns Activity (muscle tone), Pulse (heart rate), Grimace (reflex irritability), Appearance (coloration of skin), and Respiration. This simple test allows delivery-room doctors and nurses to determine a newborn’s general condition.

Virginia was one of the first women to graduate from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia College. She began pioneering work in anesthesiology, working at several major hospitals across the country. She became a professor of anesthesiology at Columbia University - the first woman to hold full professorship at the university. Virginia was the first woman to receive the Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Medicine from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia.

Education: Enriching Lives

Few forms of formal education were available to women during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, but more educational opportunities appeared through the efforts of dedicated women. The following women honored on U.S. postage stamps are recognized for their contributions to education.

Mary Lyon (1797- 1849) was a leader in making women’s education accessible and equitable to that available to men. After teaching for more than twenty years, Mary established Wheaton Female Seminary (now Wheaton College) in Norton, Massachusetts in 1834. In 1837, she raised funds to found Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, where she served as president until her death. This school was notably different from other schools of the time, with a developed curriculum in science, mathematics, history, Latin and French. Mary also created an endowment ensuring that tuition would remain accessible for students. Hundreds of her graduates followed Mary’s example, becoming home missionaries and teachers who founded schools throughout the nation.

Education: Enriching Lives

Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) was an educator who inspired many with her social activism. Born in South Carolina to former slaves, Mary valued the education she received and began to give back. In 1904 she founded a school for African American girls in Daytona Beach, which eventually became the Bethune-Cookman College. Mary served as its president for over 40 years, working to ensure a high standard of education and proper funding. She founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935 and served as the vice-president of the NAACP for 15 years. Her work was noticed by President Franklin Roosevelt, to whom she served as a counselor on child welfare and as an advisor regarding issues facing African Americans.

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan

Helen Keller (1880-1968) suffered from an illness as a small child that left her deaf and blind. Due to her condition, she had difficulty communicating with the world. In 1886, Anne Sullivan (1866-1936) became Helen’s governess and lifelong companion. Anne had suffered from blindness as a child and was able to work with Helen through a language of hand communication. With Anne’s help, Helen showed the world that people with disabilities can lead full, productive lives. Helen graduated from Radcliff College in 1904 and dedicated her life to working on behalf of the disabled and on issues such as gender and racial equality. Together, Anne and Helen worked for the American Foundation for the Blind, serving as advisors and advocates for the rest of their lives.

Frances Elizabeth Willard

Frances Willard (1839-1898) was an inspirational educator, reformer, and suffragist. She graduated from Northwestern Female College in Evanston, Illinois, in 1859. A teacher for 16 years, Frances promoted coeducation and a comprehensive education curriculum. During this time she served as president of Evanston College for Ladies and later as the first female dean of Northwestern University.

After the Civil War, Frances became increasingly involved in social issues. In 1879 she helped found the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and served as president until the end of her life. Frances was a prominent speaker, working tirelessly for women’s suffrage and prohibition. Her work greatly contributed to the passage of the 18th and 19th amendments.

Frances’ goal was to educate others and incite change, urging women to “Do Everything”. She actively supported the kindergarten movement and federally-funded training for teachers. Frances’ accomplishments were acknowledged with a statue in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol, the first woman so honored.

Changing Anthropology: Ruth Fulton Benedict

Ruth Benedict (1887-1948) was one of the foremost anthropologists of the 20th century. She received her Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1923 and continued to teach there for many years. Ruth studied American Indian culture of the Southwest and wrote Patterns of Culture, an introduction to anthropology. During World War II, the Office of War Information asked her to research European and Asian cultures; Ruth published her subsequent research on Japan in The Chrysanthemum and the Sword.

Changing Anthropology: Margaret Mead

Margaret Mead (1901-1978), a student of Ruth Benedict, made anthropology accessible to everyone. After receiving her degree from Columbia University, Margaret studied gender roles, women’s issues, and culture relating to childhood and adolescent development. She served as curator at the New York American Museum of Natural History and was a prolific writer. Her bestseller Coming of Age in Samoa married her interests in Polynesian culture with her study of adolescence. Her work supported the idea that the study of primitive cultures could be influential in analyzing contemporary society. In 1979 Margaret was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson’s (1907-1964) love of animals and nature defined her career. After graduating from Johns Hopkins University, she worked for the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, a traditionally male-dominated agency. A prolific writer, Rachel wrote several books on sea life. She entered the national stage in 1962 when she wrote her groundbreaking book, "Silent Spring." Her book sparked a controversy regarding the dangerous effects of pesticides. Rachel testified before Congress and called for improved ecological awareness, helping promote the environmental movement of the late 20th century.

Lillian Gilbreth

A pioneer in industrial engineering and scientific management, Lillian Moller Gilbreth (1878- 1972), in partnership with her husband Frank Gilbreth, developed new practices and ideas to increase labor efficiency and worker satisfaction. They created Gilbreth, Inc. to work in motion studies, a business efficiency technique intended to increase productivity while decreasing worker fatigue. In 1930, Lillian led the President’s Emergency Committee for Unemployment Relief, helping to overcome the Great Depression. She also served as an advisor on motion studies for the disabled. Lillian was the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She applied motion studies techniques to home management and is remembered in the famous book (1948) and movie (1950) Cheaper by the Dozen, written by her children.

Professionals and Philanthropists: Enhancing Lives

As entrepreneurial women earned financial and professional recognition, their success encouraged other women to succeed. As the role of women began to extend beyond the home, civic-minded women established organizations to respond to societal needs.

At a time when few opportunities were available to African American women, Sarah Breedlove (later Madame C.J. Walker) (1867-1919) made herself a household name. One evening she dreamt of selling hair products to cure baldness and made her dream a reality. With the help of her husband and daughter, Madam Walker sold her hair products and cosmetics door-to-door. Her business quickly expanded, becoming one of the country’s largest African American-owned businesses. She became the first American female millionaire. The success of her business created opportunities for thousands of black women in beauty shops across the nation. Madam Walker was also a dedicated philanthropist and political activist, supporting education, veteran’s issues, political rights and equal opportunity for African Americans.

Aviatrix: Bessie Coleman

Bessie Coleman (1896-1926) began her career as a manicurist in Chicago. Thrilled by stories of World War I pilots, she dreamed of learning to fly. At the time, American flight schools would not accept her because she was African American and a woman, so Bessie looked abroad to France to gain her license. In 1921, she became the first African American woman in the world to earn a pilot’s license. “Queen Bess” returned to the U.S. and performed as a stunt pilot in air shows. She refused to enter shows that denied admission to African Americans. Bessie’s dreams of establishing a flight school for African Americans were lost when she died in a plane accident, but her legacy lives on as inspiration for those struggling against adversity.

Aviatrix: Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) is perhaps the most famous female pilot in American history. Among her many ‘firsts,’ her solo flights across the Atlantic and across the North American continent brought her stardom. She was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress for her transatlantic flight. In addition to her prolific career in flight, Amelia served as a nurse during World War I and as a women’s career counselor at Purdue University. A true feminist, she believed in equal opportunities for women and through her achievements, became an inspiration for girls everywhere. When Amelia mysteriously disappeared during her 1937 attempt to fly around the world, the nation mourned her loss.

Athletes: Babe Zaharias

Mildred “Babe” Zaharias (1911-1956) was honored by the Associated Press as the Woman Athlete of the 20th Century in 1999, acknowledging her outstanding ability in golf, basketball, and track and field.

Babe was an All-American basketball player from 1930 to 1932, helping win the national championship in 1931. She participated in the 1932 Amateur Athletic Union championships in track and field, winning six of ten events, thereby winning the title. In the 1932 Olympic Games, Babe won two gold medals and one silver medal in track and field. In 1933, she began her golfing career; during the following 22 years she won 55 tournaments, including three U.S. Women’s Opens.

While Babe continued to break records, she also broke social barriers for women’s sports, becoming a leader in culture as well as sports.