Special thanks to intern Jessie Tudor-Tangeman for writing this month's blog.
Did you know that Ohio was once the home of the first female doctor in the United States? Or that Toledo, Ohio was the location for one of the first female African American owned pharmacies in the nation? Would it surprise you to know that Ohio was also home to Lillian Wald, a trailblazer in the fields of public health and social work? Have you ever heard of Coocoochee, the Mohawk traditional healer who lived in the Ohio Country in the late 1700’s?
If you’re looking for an interdisciplinary way to ignite an interest in the history, examining the rich stories of these women is a wonderful way to engage students and spark discovery of Ohio’s stories. Ohio women have played an important role in the history of health professions. Check out a brief overview of their achievements and related resources for the classroom below!
Coocoochee
- Mohawk Leader and Medicine Woman
- Acquired skills in herbal medicine and was a well-known indigenous healer in the Ohio Country.
Sources:
- “Coocoochee” Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary
Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary - Google Books
- “Coocoochee Facts for Kids” Kids Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Blackwell
- Blackwell faced discrimination as she pursued her medical education but persisted and became the first formally trained female medical doctor in the United States.
- Blackwell opened her own hospital in New York providing women’s health services.
Sources:
Lillian Wald
- Pioneer in the fields of Public Health and Social Work
- In 1894, Wald founded the Henry Street Settlement House, an organization dedicated to providing social services to immigrant communities in New York City.
Sources:
Ella P. Stewart
- Stewart became the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacology.
- Stewart moved to Toledo, Ohio where she opened the first African American owned pharmacy in the city.
Sources:
Here are some questions that can spark conversation amongst your students as they explore the fascinating lives of these women: (hints are provided to help facilitate your conversations)
- What do you think these women may have had in common with each other?
(Hint: Resiliency? Persistence? Social Activism? Strong Families/Support Systems?)
- What challenges did these women face as they pursued their education and careers?
(Hint: Tie this to social issues of the applicable period.)
- Pretend these women have boarded a time machine and arrived today. Based on what you have learned about the lives of these women, what do you think would most surprise them about what they see?
(Hint: Women having made great strides in all professions? The technology available in their professions?)
Do you want to explore more Ohio women who made their own mark on history? Visit The Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame to learn more about the achievements of women in a variety of areas, including the Government, Arts, Military, Education, Business, Journalism, and Community Service: Ohio Women's Hall of Fame - Ohio History Connection
Blog Image Citation: "National Association of Colored Women Convention Photographs." Photograph. Bowling Green State University - Center for Archival Collections, 1952. Audiovisual material; MS-203, Ella P. Stewart Papers. https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p267401coll36/id/15396 (Accessed 1/30/25).
