Lillian Wald

Lillian-Wald

Lillian D. Wald (March 10, 1867 – September 1, 1940) was an American nurse, humanitarian, and author. She was a pioneer in the field of public health and the founder of American community nursing. Her work laid the foundation for the modern public health system in the United States and she is best known for her contribution to the establishment of the Henry Street Settlement in New York City, which provided a wide range of social and health services to the poor and immigrant populations of the Lower East Side.

Early Life and Education

Lillian Wald was born on March 10, 1867, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to German-Jewish immigrants. The family moved to Rochester, New York, where Wald grew up. She attended Miss Cruttenden's English-French Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies in Rochester. Initially, Wald pursued a teaching career but was drawn to nursing after caring for her sick sister. This led her to enroll in the New York Hospital's School of Nursing, where she graduated in 1891.

Career and Contributions

After graduation, Wald worked at the New York Juvenile Asylum but quickly became interested in the living conditions of the immigrants on the Lower East Side. In 1893, she founded the Henry Street Settlement, which initially provided nursing and home care services to the poor. The settlement quickly expanded to offer educational and recreational programs for the community.

Wald's vision was to integrate public health with social reforms. She advocated for the establishment of a public health nursing system, which led to the creation of the first public school nursing program in the United States. Her efforts also contributed to the development of the Children's Bureau in 1912 and influenced the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act in 1921, which funded maternity and child care programs.

Throughout her career, Wald was an advocate for civil rights and women's suffrage. She was a founding member of the NAACP and worked closely with other reformers of the time, including Jane Addams and Florence Kelley.

Later Life and Legacy

Wald retired from active work at the Henry Street Settlement in 1933 due to ill health. She continued to advocate for public health and social reform until her death on September 1, 1940, in Westport, Connecticut. Today, Lillian Wald is remembered as a pioneer in public health nursing and a champion of social justice. Her legacy lives on through the Henry Street Settlement, which still operates and serves the Lower East Side community.

See Also

• Public health
• Nursing
• Henry Street Settlement
• Social reform