In the United States today, women make up roughly one-third of all physicians and comprise about 14 percent of active-duty military personnel. This marks a dramatic transformation compared with the time of Mary Edwards Walker’s birth. Arriving in the world in 1832, Walker challenged prevailing gender expectations to become the Army’s first female surgeon. Her courage and steadfast dedication to her mission earned her the Medal of Honor, the highest recognition for valor in the nation. Here is the story of her remarkable life and achievements.
Mary Edwards Walker’s upbringing
Mary Edwards Walker was born to forward-thinking, abolitionist parents. Raised in Oswego, New York, her parents encouraged her to reject societal norms. She didn’t dress in traditionally feminine clothing, leading to problems. Biographer Sharon Harris said of Walker’s childhood, “Boys chased her and threw rocks at her. She once said that nobody would ever know what she had to go through just to step out the door each morning.”
Walker’s parents encouraged her to get the same first-rate education as her brothers. Her elementary schooling was done at a free public schoolhouse they’d founded. She then attended Falley Seminary, which didn’t only promote higher learning, but emphasized modern social reforms and a changing attitude when it came to gender norms.
Walker’s time at Falley Seminary impacted her greatly.
Walker’s medical career
In the mid-19th century, it was rare for women to pursue careers as doctors. The challenges were immense, particularly in obtaining the necessary training to qualify as a physician. Despite these obstacles, Walker remained resolute. She enrolled at Syracuse Medical School in New York and graduated with honors in 1855. While studying there, she met Albert Miller, a fellow student, and the two married.
Walker’s choice of attire during her school years remained unconventional, often surprising her female peers and patients. When she married Miller, she chose to wear a full suit and top hat instead of a traditional wedding dress.
Following the beliefs of her parents, she advocated for dressing based on health considerations rather than vanity. In 1871 she wrote, “The greatest sorrows from which women suffer today are those physical, moral, and mental ones, that are caused by their unhygienic manner of dressing.”
American Civil War
When the American Civil War broke out, Walker was eager to serve her country. By the time war broke out, she’d kept a private practice for a number of years. She volunteered for the Union Army as a surgeon and was initially rejected. She was instead offered a position as a nurse, which she accepted, though she eventually served as a surgeon.
In 1862, Walker offered her services as a spy, but was rebuffed. A year later, she became the first female to ever serve in the Army as a surgeon. In 1864, she was captured and arrested by the Confederate Army, after helping a Confederate doctor perform an amputation. Walker was held in captivity for four months, until she was exchanged for a Confederate surgeon.
Medal of Honor controversy
After the war ended, Walker turned her attention to writing and delivering public lectures, advocating both for improvements in medical care and for women’s rights. For her military contributions, she initially received a modest disability pension of $8.50 per month, which was later raised to $20.
Seeking official recognition, Walker petitioned for a commission or a retroactive brevet to formally confirm her rank. Although the government declined her requests, President Andrew Johnson chose to honor her in a unique way, personally presenting her with the Medal of Honor to acknowledge her exceptional service.
In 1916, Congress established a pension program for Medal of Honor recipients, prompting a review of prior awardees. As a result, 911 names were removed from the official list, largely because those individuals had never been formally enlisted or commissioned—Mary Edwards Walker was among those affected.
Decades later, during President Jimmy Carter’s administration in the 1970s, the decision was revisited and ultimately reversed, leading to the official restoration of Walker’s Medal of Honor.
Mary Edwards Walker’s legacy
Mary Edwards Walker left her mark on the country in a variety of ways. While they struggled to earn respect, women served as doctors during World War I. Over time, women began to serve in the military, not just as nurses and doctors, but as soldiers, too.
Walker was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame in 2000. A World War II-era ship, the SS Mary Walker, was named in her honor. A number of medical and military buildings are also named for her. In 2009, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton featured her story in The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience.