Introduction
Nurses have a long history of fulfilling their duties under the harsh, dangerous conditions of war. Before the US Civil War the majority of American nurses were men, but the bloodiness of that conflict led to thousands of women volunteering to serve on both sides. After the war these women used their hard-won experiences and new ideas, embarking on a movement to organize and standardize nursing education, training, and practice that would lead to the creation of modern nursing. The archival collections listed below primarily cover the personal papers of nurses who served in various capacities in World War I and World War II, with the American Military Nursing collection including multiple conflicts and individuals.
In addition to these collections, the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center also includes material about the United States Sanitary Commission in the papers of the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts; and the papers of Mary Borden include materials from her experiences as a nurse in World War I which she used as a basis for her 1929 book The Forbidden Zone.
World War I
Ethel G. Brooks papers. Letters, photographs, and various records documenting the service of nurse Ethel G. Brooks (1886-1976) in Europe from 1917 to 1919, among other material.
Mary Magoun Brown papers. Manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, and other material from nurse Mary Magoun Brown (1869-1962), much of it pertaining to Brown's service with the Foreign Service of the American Red Cross with the Near East Relief Program in 1919; including detailed diaries, letters, and original uniforms.
Marion V. Cook papers. Letters, memorabilia, photographs, and government documents from nurse Marion V. Cook, who served as a US Army Nurse during World War I.
Jessica Godown papers. A collection of uniforms, photographs, medals and insignia, and other items from the US Army Nurse Corps.
Alice Lucinda Kelley papers. Documents, photographs, medals, and pins from US Army Nurse Corps nurse Alice Lucinda Kelley (1888-?).
Vera Mowbray papers. Photographs, letters, printed items, memorabilia, and a detailed diary from nurse Vera (Allender) Mowbray (1896-1994), documenting her experiences as a trainee in the US Army School of Nursing.
Marion G. Parsons papers. Letters, photographs, official records, memorabilia, and other material from nurse, educator, and adminstrator Marion G. Parsons (1871-1968). Much of the collection relates to Parsons' service during World War I, especially her work with the Harvard Unit British Expeditionary Forces and nursing initiatives in Europe, including Czechoslovakia.
Vassar Training Camp collection. Materials related to the Vassar Training Camp of Nurses, held in the summer of 1918 under the auspices of the American Red Cross and the National Council or Defense to train nurses for service in World War I.
World War II
Florence Blanchfield papers. Manuscripts, letters, photographs, and other material from Colonel Florence A. Blanchfield (1884-1972), Superintendent of the US Army Nurse Corps and the first woman commissioned in the regular army.
Mary F. Cavanagh papers. Letters home to family from nurse Mary F. Cavanagh (?-2002), written while she served in the US Army Nurse Corps.
Isabel E. Demmon papers. Manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, and other items from nurse Isabel E. Demmon (1917-2012), who served as a First Lieutenant in the US Army Nurse Corps in India during World War II.
Claire G. Farrisey papers. Records from nurse Claire G. Farrisey (1920-1977), who served as a Captain in the US Army Nurse Corps during World War II and was later appointed as a Reserve Commissioned Officer in the Officer Reserve Corps of the US Army.
Dolores J. Haritos papers. Interviews, photographs, and printed material pertaining to the US Air Force Nurse Corps, of which Dolores J. Haritos (1928-2021) was a Colonel.
Sally M. Johnson papers. Various materials regarding US wartime nursing policies and mobilization among the American Nurses Association, the National Nursing Council for War Service, and other affiliated nursing groups, from nurse Sally M. Johnson.
Elisabeth Cogswell Phillips papers. Letters written by Elisabeth C. Phillips (1902-2001) during her service with the American Red Cross Hospital in England during World War II (1941–1942), along with other records documenting Phillips' career as a public health nurse, educator, and administrator.
Frances Y. Slanger papers. Materials documenting the life, military service, writings, and legacy of Frances Y. Slanger (1913-1944), a Second Lieutenant in the US Army Nurse Corps and the first Army nurse killed in action in the European Theater during World War II.
General
American Military Nursing collection. Records and artifacts from various individuals, groups, and institutions devoted to American nursing in a military context, such as the US Navy, Army, Air Force, and Cadet Nurse Corps, during World Wars I and II. Includes material relating to Women in Military Service for America, US Navy Nurse Corps Association, US Department of Veteran Affairs, New England Navy Nurses Corps Association, and the 120th Station Hospital.
