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Primary sourceDocument1878

The Red Cross of the Geneva Convention: What It Is

Clara Barton · 1878

A pamphlet written by Clara Barton in 1878 to persuade Americans and Congress to join the Geneva Convention and support a Red Cross society.

Barton wrote this pamphlet herself to campaign for American participation in the Red Cross movement.

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Title page of the pamphlet 'The Red Cross of the Geneva Convention: What It Is' by Clara Barton. Beige paper with black serif text and a red Red Cross symbol near the bottom. Small print reads Washington, D.C. and 1878.
Clara Barton, The Red Cross of the Geneva Convention: What It Is, 1878. Library of Congress.

About this source

What it is

This is a pamphlet written by Clara Barton in 1878. It is held by the Library of Congress. The title page shows the pamphlet's name and a red cross symbol.

Why it matters

Barton wrote this pamphlet to convince American leaders and the public to join the Geneva Convention. She argued that a Red Cross society should help not only in war, but also respond to disasters in peacetime. This document shows how Barton worked as an advocate, not just a nurse, to build lasting institutions.

Look closer

  • Why might Barton have needed to argue so strongly for America to join an international agreement?
  • What does the choice of the Red Cross symbol tell you about the message of the pamphlet?
  • What groups of people would Barton have needed to persuade to succeed?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Clara Barton on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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