Clara Barton is one of America's most courageous women and a visionary for her time. The list of her accomplishments is long and much has continued with an enduring legacy. During her early career, she was an educator, patent clerk and wartime volunteer. The humanitarian services to soldiers during the Civil War built her a reputation as a fulcrum in affecting change on a national level. The experience gained while providing supplies and giving personal medical aid during the Civil War appears to have galvanized this women’s path for her future contributions to public health. After the war, while, on a visit to Europe, Clara Barton was introduced to the work of the Red Cross in Switzerland.