Today in Lab History: Lillian Wald

Lillian Wald, born March 10, 1867, was a nurse and an author who is known for her contribution to human rights.

She founded both the American community nursing and the Henry Street Settlement in New York. She was an early advocate for nursing in schools. She coined the phrase “public health nurse” to mean a nurse who was integrated with the community.

The Henry Street Settlement eventually became the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, she believed in education and outreach. Wald was also a champion for having nurses in public school and worked with Met Life to create nursing insurance. She founded a neighborhood playhouse, championed child labor laws and had racial integration in all classrooms at the playhouse. She, a German-Jew, was one of the founding members of the NAACP and was also a part of the suffragette movement.

In recognition for all her work, she received the Lincoln Medallion for her work as an "Outstanding Citizen of New York.”