Boardman, Mabel Thorp (1860-1946)

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Mentioned in (11)
Written by (2)
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American Red Cross

Response to Mabel Thorp Boardman, August 15, 1912

Mabel Thorp Boardman to Jane Addams, July 29, 1915

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Birth Date

1860-10-12

Death Date

1946-03-17

Birthplace

Cleveland, OH

Biographical Text

Mabel Thorp Boardman was a philanthropist who worked for the American Red Cross. She grew up in a socialite family, which allowed her to spend most of her time aiding different philanthropies. In 1901, she was elected to the Executive Board of the American Red Cross, where she led the faction that ousted Clara Barton in 1904. Boardman went on to lead the Red Cross, though she did not become Chairman, feeling it would cause the organization to lose credibility. Boardman became the first female member of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia in 1920 and served as the Director of the Red Cross's Volunteer Service from 1923 to 1944.

Boardman died in 1946.

Boardman was mentioned in numerous letters sent to Jane Addams in 1912, referencing a public disagreement between the two. Boardman criticized Addams for supporting the Progressive Party, arguing that those who engage in non-political work should not align themselves with any specific political party or candidate. Addams responded by stating that her work required involvement in politics and that she had a right to exercise her freedom of speech.

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Edited By

DeLora, Renee

DeLisi, Julianne

Lichon, Sara Catherine

Rights

Public domain

Gender

Female

First appears

1912

Bibliography and Links

Nicholas Lemesh, "From the Archives – Volunteer Extraordinaire, Mabel Boardman," American Red Cross, Red Cross Chat, 2016.

SNAC

Wikipedia

Citation

“Boardman, Mabel Thorp (1860-1946),” Jane Addams Digital Edition, accessed September 16, 2024, http://digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/4672.

Boardman, Mabel Thorp (1860-1946)

Item Relations

American Red Cross

Response to Mabel Thorp Boardman, August 14, 1912

Mary E. McDowell to Jane Addams, August 16, 1912

Anna Howard Shaw to Jane Addams, August 16, 1912

Matthias S. Kaufman to Jane Addams, August 20, 1912

Jane Addams to Catharine Waugh McCulloch, August 24, 1912

Caroline Louise Dodge to Jane Addams, [September 1912]

Edward Thomas Devine to Jane Addams, September 11, 1912

Peace Campaign Abroad Clipping, August 2, 1915

Platform of The World's Court League Inc., January 16, 1917

George Lazareff to Alice Stone Blackwell, July 23-29, 1919

Speech to the Douglass Community Service Association, January 19, 1921 (excerpts)

Response to Mabel Thorp Boardman, August 15, 1912

Mabel Thorp Boardman to Jane Addams, July 29, 1915

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