The national presidency of the National Woman's Party in 1933 marked a professional zenith for a woman who began her career as a surgical nurse. Sarah Tarleton Colvin navigated the evolving landscape of twentieth-century American healthcare and political activism, balancing clinical responsibilities with a commitment to suffrage and the advancement of educational standards for women in nursing.
Early Education and Nursing Practice
Born in 1865 in Greene County, Alabama, Sarah Lightfoot Tarleton moved frequently during her youth before her family settled in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1878. She enrolled in the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, completing a two-year course in 1892. Following her graduation, she accepted a position as head nurse at Johns Hopkins for six months. She later worked in New York City and served as an operating-room nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Canada.
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After marrying Dr. Alexander R. Colvin in 1897 and relocating to Saint Paul, Minnesota, she adapted her professional focus toward improving educational standards for women in the nursing field. She became the founding president of the Minnesota State Graduate Nurses' Association in 1906. Her local civic contributions included serving on the board of the Deaconess Home, acting as a director for the Civic League, participating as a founding member of the YWCA, and presiding over the Anti-Tuberculosis Society.
Activism and Wartime Service
In 1915, she helped establish the Minnesota branch of the National Woman's Party, serving as its chair until 1920. During World War I, she served as a Red Cross and army nurse, holding the rank of major and acting as the Surgical Chief of Nursing at Fort McHenry. As a member of the Silent Sentinels, she participated in pickets at the White House in 1918 and 1919. Her involvement led to two arrests and a hunger strike, experiences she later detailed in her 1944 autobiography, A Rebel in Thought.
Later Advocacy and Political Life
Following the passage of women's suffrage, Colvin joined the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party and became active in the disarmament movement and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Her focus shifted toward the Equal Rights Amendment and the promotion of pay equality for both American and Canadian nurses. In 1935, she secured a position on the state Board of Education, continuing her reform efforts until the late 1930s. She died in 1949 in Roseville, Minnesota.
Fast facts
- Born: 1865, Greene County
- Died: 1949, Roseville
- Education: Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
- Professional Rank: Major, United States Army
- Political Membership: National Woman's Party
- Autobiography: A Rebel in Thought (1944)
Questions readers ask
What was Colvin's primary political focus in 1933?
She served as the national president of the National Woman's Party, concentrating on issues related to equal pay.
Did Colvin work in the nursing field during World War I?
Yes, she served as a Red Cross and army nurse, attaining the rank of major while acting as the Surgical Chief of Nursing at Fort McHenry.
Achievements
- Held posts at National Woman's Party
