Kate Waller Barrett

Born this day in 1857: Kate Waller Barrett (1857–1925), physician, social reformer, and suffragist

Barrett was born Kate Harwood Waller in Falmouth, Virginia. In 1876 she married Robert South Barrett, an Episcopal minister. Barrett’s interest in the plight of so-called “fallen women” was aroused when an unmarried woman and her baby came to the rectory for help, and Barrett was surprised to discover that this supposedly disgraced woman was little different from herself. Barrett and her husband soon began ministering to local prostitutes. To aid their efforts, Barrett earned an M.D. from Women’s Medical College of Georgia (1892).

Barrett devoted herself to championing the cause of poor unwed mothers, who often lacked access to medical care and were considered social outcasts. She eventually became president of the Florence Crittenton Mission. The mission provided health care, education, and job training to unwed mothers, needy immigrant women, prostitutes, and women who had contracted venereal diseases. In time, more than 50 local missions were established across the nation. Because of her efforts, the plight of unwed mothers became an acceptable subject of philanthropy. In 1898 the National Florence Crittenton Mission became the first philanthropic institution chartered by Congress. It operates today as the Florence Crittenton National Foundation. 

Barrett was also vice-president of Virginia’s Equal Suffrage League from 1909 to 1920, a delegate to the National Democratic Convention of 1924, and sat on the Board of Visitors at William and Mary College.

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Boston Female Medical College

On this day in 1848 the first medical school forwomen, the Boston Female Medical College, was established.

Boston University School of Medicine, 1873–1892

 The BostonFemale Medical College (later the New England Female Medical College) was founded by homeopathic physician Samuel Gregory, who believed that it was immoral for men to attend childbirth. Not surprisingly, the school limited its medical training to gynecology and obstetrics. In 1850 the charter class of 12 women graduated. By 1856 the school expanded to a full medical school curriculum. In 1864 it graduated the first African American woman physician, Rebecca Lee Crumpler.

In 1873 the school mergedwith Boston University, establishing the Boston University School of Medicine and one of the first co-educational medical schools in the world.  

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