Photo of Sarah Lightfoot Tarleton Colvin

Sarah Lightfoot Tarleton Colvin

1865 - 1949
Nursing; Suffragist
USA USA

Personal Information

Born: 1865

Died: 1949

Country of Birth: USA

Nationality: USA

Ethnicity: White

Education

Johns Hopkins School of Nursing 1892

""Individually doctors are kind to nurses; collectively they are indifferent to an appalling degree." (libquotes.com); "No private scheme can ever be devised that will bring medical service to the majority of the people of the United States. We are gradually learning that under our economic system of 'free enterprise,' adequate medical service can never be paid for as a private cost." (libquote.com); "

— Sarah Lightfoot Tarleton Colvin

Professional Life

Field of Study: Nursing; Suffragist

Institution/Corporation: Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

Degrees & Memberships: Member: National Woman's Party (1915), Board of Deaconess Home (1897), founding president of Minnesota State Graduate Nurses' Association, Civic League, YWCA, Anti-Tuberculosis Society, Silent Sentinels, Women's International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF), Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, Minnesota Board of Education (1935), National Woman Suffrage Association

Awards & Achievements

Awards: is honored on the Minnesota woman Suffrage Memorial

Achievements: 1895 established the Baltimore Visiting Nursing Association; is 1 of the founders of the National Women's Party Minnesota Branch (1915) & was chair 1915-1920; was a Red Cross & Army nurse during WWI & was given the rank of Major; was acting Surgical Chief of Nursing at Fort McHenry during WWI; her autobiography "A Rebel in Thought" was published in 1944

oldest of 3 children, father died when she was 3

stopped working as a nurse after she married in 1897 because it was considered "improper" & turned her attention to improving the education of women in nursing

as a Silent Sentinel participated in the white House Pickets & was arrested in 1918 for burning President Wilson in effigy & again in 1919

was senteced to 5 days in jail for each offense & participated in a hnger strike during 1st jail term

1916 was part of the "Suffrage special" a train tour of the country to bring awareness of suffrage issues

participated in another train tour after her arrests speaking about the experience