Elizabeth Blackwell :  A Legacy so Rare

This is a story of a crusader, a barrier breaker, a prejudice challenger, a social servant, a warrior for women’s health and education, a leader par excellence, a physician of repute, a remarkable reformist. This is a rare story of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in America to be awarded a Medical Degree in the year 1849, who fought many a battles till she lived and totally devoted her life for the upliftment of women in society.

Early Life & Migration to the US

Elizabeth Blackwell was born in Bristol in the United Kingdom to Samuel Blackwell, a sugar refiner. She had two older siblings and six younger siblings followed after her. It was a large family. Unfortunately, Samuel Blackwell’s sugar refinery got destroyed in a fire and the family migrated to the US and settled in New York, where Samuel devoted a big chunk of his time standing up  women’ rights and against child labour and slavery  . The Blackwell household had a progressive liberal mindset which had a major influence on  Elizabeth apart from her religious beliefs.

A Financial Crisis

Elizabeth wanted to pursue medicine and had a deep interest in it, but destiny took a difficult turn when aged 17  her father passed away, leaving the family in a financial turmoil. Elizabeth and her two elder sisters took up teaching and started a small school to educate  children in the locality. Elizabeth had to let go her dreams of becoming a physician and focussed on her teaching prowess.

Death of a Friend

As life was unfolding an incident triggered her interest back in medicine. A close friend of her’s died of uterine cancer. As she lay on her death bed, Elizabeth’s friend asked her to study medicine. An absence of a female doctor had resulted in unassailable complications leading to her death. A shocked Elizabeth was now  a determined soul and put all her energies in seeking admission to a medical school. However, Elizabeth didn’t know what was in store for her.

Sheer Prejudice

Elizabeth applied in 29 schools by sending letters of her credentials but got a rejection from each one of them.  Surprised,  Elizabeth decided to visit a few schools personally to know  the reasons of her rejection and what she found was nothing more than sheer prejudice against a female candidate. One of the schools even told her to disguise as a man and seek admission, which she vehemently refused.  Her  missionary zeal for getting educated in medicine eventually saw her being admitted to the Geneva Medical  School ( now known as the Hobart College ), New York,  but not without a condition. 

A Weird Condition 

The College agreed to admit Elizabeth only if all 150 students ( all males ) agreed to take her as their class mate and if even one of them disagreed she would not be admitted.  Inspite of the gender biases she had faced all this while, Elizabeth to her utter surprise was granted admission on the basis of a unanimous vote in her favour  by the 150 male students. There was  indeed light at the end of the tunnel and though Elizabeth continued facing a strong gender prejudice in her education at the College, she persevered with an unwavering objective and in 1849 became the first woman ever to be conferred a Medical Degree in the US. 

Unparalleled Contribution to Women’s Medical Education, Health and Related Reforms

There was no stopping Elizabeth Blackwell once she finished her college and her thesis on Typhoid Fever in 1849 was published in Medical Journals and received rave reviews. In 1857 she alongwith her  sister Emily founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children and in 1868 the well established infirmary became the Women’s Medical College of the New York Infirmary. She kept on travelling to Britain too and in 1874 founded the London School of Medicine for Women. Elizabeth was championing the cause of Women education particularly in Medicine which was having a tremendous impact in US as well as Britain. She was associated with several projects both big and small and was in close association with the legendary Florence Nightingale.

Elizabeth, the reformist continued to work for improving lives of women in the 19th century and early 20th century. She fought hard, never to compromise on what she wanted. Her never say die spirit and no holds barred attitude towards her goals laid the foundation for  women’s medical education which till date is reaping the benefits of her hardwork and devotion. In the year 1974, a postage stamp commemorating Elizabeth Blackwell was released in the US.  Elizabeth Blackwell Medal ( in memory of the great physician )  is awarded annually to a Female Physician for exemplary work.

Elizabeth Blackwell’s contribution to society and the profound effect it has had across the world, is simply exemplary . She displayed boundless courage and conviction and made the world change and adapt to her views and aspirations. She passed away in 1910 in Hastings, Sussex, leaving behind a legacy so rare.

Elizabeth Blackwell- A True Legend.