Clara Barton. When Clara Barton visited Europe in 1869, she was introduced to the Red Cross

        Clara Barton was courageous, enduring, and resourceful on the battlefield. She gave sympathetic aid to many and to her each soldier was an individual and merited the best possible treatment. All these traits can be seen in the Red Cross Organization, and it is what they stand for. Toward the end of the war, she found herself writing to many families who inquired about men who had been reported missing. Here, again, she recognized a pressing human need and did something practical to address it. She assisted in finding thousands of missing men, and by doing so, she anticipated the implementation of Red Cross tracing services, one of the organization’s most important activities today (redcross.org). She delivered lectures around the United States about her experiences at war, which inspired many people to like her.  During one of her lectures, a man came to her and asked her what can he do to help? She told him that they need doctors, so he went and studied for several years and came back to help her as a doctor. She was also an advocate and an activist for woman’s rights and black rights (jonsprout.com). This shows how much she cares about others and that she just wants to make the world a better place to live in. She was never satisfied except when responding over and over again to the call of human need.

        When Clara Barton visited Europe in 1869, she was introduced to the Red Cross and read about a book that called for international agreements to protect the sick and wounded during wartime without any discrimination towards nationality. During the Franco-Prussian war, Barton willing to help as always, worked with the International Red Cross frequently and fearlessly worked under fire (uuquincy.org). Overcoming many difficulties and witnessing the immense suffering during the war, fueled her determination to fight her biggest battle in establishing the American Red Cross (rutgers.edu). In 1881 the American Red Cross, with Barton at it head, devoted itself largely to disaster relief for its first 20 years. She earned many honors and medals for hard work, in helping those in suffering. At the end of Barton’s time as head of the organization, the American Red Cross provided assistance to armed forces and civilians during wartime (jonsprout.com).

        Clara Barton was a true pioneer as well as an outstanding humanitarian. Gender inequality, racial discrimination, and role of government shaped Clara’s thoughts about social policy and institutional reforms (rutgers.edu). Her experiences as child, in the Civil War, in the Franco-Prussian war, and reading about the Red Cross all have contributed to making Barton who she is. She had the belief in selfless concern for the well being of others, no matter who they are, which still exist in the Red Cross Organization today. She was a highly skilled speaker with a strong personality that could rally volunteers to meet whatever crises threatened the country (rutgers.edu). In conclusion Clara Barton’s beliefs became the basis and goals of the Red Cross Organization and her experiences helped in making her feelings stronger to fight for the good of the people.

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Works Cited

"American Red Cross Museum." American Red Cross Museum. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://www.redcross.org/museum/history/claraBarton.asp>.

"CLARA BARTON (1821-1912)." Clara Barton. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://www.uuquincy.org/projects/stamps/14clarabarton.htm>.

"Clara Barton Biography." Clara Barton Biography. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/bart-cla.htm>.

"Jonathan Sprout My Heroes - Clara Barton." Jonathan Sprout My Heroes - Clara Barton. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://jonsprout.com/myheroes_barton.html>.

Krensky, Stephen. Clara Barton. New York, NY: DK Pub., 2011. Print.

"Syndicated Column -- Clara Barton." Syndicated Column -- Clara Barton. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://www.nahc.org/nahc/val/columns/sc10-1.html>.