Honoring American Red Cross Giving Day 2021

Since its founding by Clara Barton on May 21, 1881, the American Red Cross has provided services to American armed forces and their families, as well as disaster relief around the world. While they have adapted to meet the changing needs of the people they serve, they have remained true to their mission of serving people in need.  

In 1943, President Roosevelt was the first to proclaim March as American Red Cross Month. Since then, issuing this proclamation has become an annual tradition, where presidents designate March as the month to honor American Red Cross volunteers. March 24 also marks the seventh annual American Red Cross Giving Day, during which the American Red Cross encourages communities to come together and donate to help the American Red Cross provide essential relief to those affected by disasters. 

In honor of American Red Cross Giving Day, the IDHH has collected a few of our favorite images featuring American Red Cross volunteers from our contributors at the Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County, the McLean County Museum of History, and the Graham Hospital School of Nursing: 

Red Cross Ditty Bag Project. September 12, 1969. Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County. Fort Sheridan. Courtesy of Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County. 
Red Cross Blood Drive. January 20, 1975. Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County. Fort Sheridan. Courtesy of Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County. 
Red Cross Nurses’ aide. January 21, 1943. McLean County Museum of History. Pantagraph Negative Collection, 1940-1945. Courtesy of McLean County Museum of History. 
Red Cross. September 26, 1941. McLean County Museum of History. Pantagraph Negative Collection, 1940-1945. Courtesy of McLean County Museum of History.
196-.1.14 Fulton County Red Cross nurses Lois Watts. circa 1960s. Graham Hospital School of Nursing. Graham Hospital School of Nursing Library. Courtesy of Graham Hospital School of Nursing. 
194-.1.1 Red Cross Volunteers. circa 1940s. Graham Hospital School of Nursing. Graham Hospital School of Nursing Library. Courtesy of Graham Hospital School of Nursing. 

View the full Fort Sheridan collection, the full Pantagraph Negative collection, and the full Graham Hospital School of Nursing Library collection on the IDHH. 

View more items related to the American Red Cross on the IDHH. 

Celebrate Women’s Fight for the Vote with Hazle Buck Ewing

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we at the IDHH would like to introduce Hazle Buck Ewing, passionate activist for women’s suffrage and lifelong member of the Bloomington League of Women Voters.

Ewing joined the women’s suffrage movement in 1915, and worked to secure voting rights for women through her writing, her attendance at conferences, and her financial support of the movement. She continued to promote women’s rights after the passage of the 19th amendment by supporting the Equal Rights Amendment and voting in every election beginning in 1920, only stopping when she was too ill to leave her home. She died at the age of 88 on August 29, 1969. 

The Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage collection from Illinois State University is comprised of materials created and collected by Ewing during her involvement in the women’s suffrage movement. The collection has over 150 items and includes letters, articles, pamphlets, and photographs that give insight into the efforts made by early 20th-century suffrage activists to secure women the right to vote. 

To celebrate Hazle Buck Ewing and Women’s History Month, here are a few of our favorite items from the collection: 

National Women’s Party Sash and Ribbons, circa 1916-1919. Circa 1916-1919. Illinois State University. Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage Collection. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
Hazle Buck Ewing’s nieces with snow suffragette at home of Nelson L. Buck, December 25, 1915. December 25, 1915. Illinois State University. Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage Collection. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
Hazle Buck Ewing poem “Out West”. October 1916. Illinois State University. Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage Collection. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
Hazle Buck Ewing Letters to Claude Kitchin and Thomas Martin, January 5, 1918 (copy). January 5, 1918. Illinois State University. Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage Collection. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
James Lewis telegram to Hazle Buck Ewing, May 10, 1918. May 10, 1918. Illinois State University. Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage Collection. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
Invitation to National American Women Suffrage Association and League of Women Voters conference, Chicago, February 12-18, 1920. 1920. Illinois State University. Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage Collection. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
Scott W. Lucas Letter to Hazle Buck Ewing, March 14, 1949. March 14, 1949. Illinois State University. Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage Collection. Courtesy of Illinois State University.

In August, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, featuring images of women exercising their right to vote from the McLean County Museum of History’s Pantagraph Negative Collection (1940-1945). 

View the complete Hazle Buck Ewing Women’s Suffrage Collection in the IDHH. 

View more items related to women’s suffrage in the IDHH.