Public Health

This series of messages focus on how little known individuals fought to improve the public health for all.

    • Giving Birth to the Pill

      Katharine (Dexter) McCormick was born in 1875 in Michigan. After her father died when she was 14, she and her mother moved to Boston. Katharine earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from MIT with plans to become a doctor. After her marriage to Robert McCormick, she...

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    • A Native American Healthcare Pioneer

      Susan (La Flesche) Picotte was born in 1865 on the reservation of the Omaha Nation of Native Americans in Nebraska. Her father was the leader of the Omaha tribe. He was in favor of some assimilation policies, and this created tension within his tribe. Susan leaned...

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    • Finding a Treatment for Leprosy

      Alice Ball was one of four children born to a prominent middle-class African American family. She earned two Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Washington in Chemistry and Pharmacy. As an undergraduate, she published a paper in a leading chemistry journal. This...

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    • Preventive Medicine for All

      Rebecca (née Davis) Crumpler was raised by her aunt who cared for the sick in their community. While her aunt was not trained as a doctor, she took care of those who were sick. Her aunt became the inspiration for Rebecca’s career. Rebecca worked as a nurse before she...

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    • Advocating for Public Health

      Alice Hamilton was born into a family of privilege but devoted her life to public health service. She received a medical degree from the University of Michigan. After graduation, she developed an interest in public health while living at the Hull House, a settlement...

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    • If You Don’t First Succeed

      Frederick Banting was the last of five children born to a farming family in Ontario, Canada. His first attempt at college was unsuccessful, but he tried again. He was readmitted to college but dropped out to join the military. His attempt to enlist was not...

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    • Protecting Milk Supplies

      Alice Evans was born in 1881 in Pennsylvania. She was initially educated at home and then in a one-room school house. She and her brother both survived scarlet fever. After graduating from college, she became a teacher because no other jobs were available to women....

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    • Saving Lives with a Poke

      Betty (Flanagan) Bumpers was born in 1925 in Arkansas. She was an elementary school teacher with three children. She met her husband, Dale, in high school in 1949. Dale was a lawyer who later got into politics. When Dale Bumpers was elected Governor of Arkansas in...

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    • The Five Stages of Grief

      Elizabeth Kubler-Ross was born in 1926 as one of a set of triplets. Her life’s passion came when she worked with refugees during World War II. During a visit to a death camp, she was surprised to see hundreds of butterflies carved into the walls by those who knew...

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    • The Birth of Midwifery in America

      Mary Breckinridge was born into a family of public service. Her father was a Congressman from Arkansas and an Ambassador to Russia. She was educated at private schools before returning to her home in Arkansas. When her husband died after only two years of marriage,...

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