REDCROSS HISTORY
  • Dec 25, 1821 - Clara Barton is born in New Oxford, Massachusetts.
  • May 08, 1828 - Henry Dunant founder of Red Cross Movement is born.
  • Jun 24, 1859 - Battle of Solferino in Italy prompts Henry Dunant to call for an international relief organization to bring aid to the war-injured.
  • Apr 20, 1861 - Clara Barton begins aid to servicemen in the Civil War.
  • Aug 08, 1964 - First Geneva Convention issued to protect the war-wounded.
  • Feb 09, 1863 - International Committee of the The Red Cross is founded in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • May 21, 1881 - Clara Barton & associates establish the American Red Cross.
  • Aug 22, 1881 - First local chapter of the American Red Cross is formed in Dansville, New York.
  • Sep 04, 1881 - Red Cross undertakes its first disaster relief effort aiding victims of Michigan forest fires.
  • Mar 16, 1882 - US ratifies first Geneva Convention.
  • May 31, 1889 - Red Cross responds to flood in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
  • Aug 27, 1893 - Clara Barton aids 30,000 homeless victims of a Hurricane on the sea Islands of South Carolina.
  • Feb 15, 1896 - Clara Barton & associates arrive in Constantinople to bring relief to Armenian victims of Turkish oppression.
  • Jun 20, 1898 - Clara Barton sails to Havana aiding victims of Spanish-American War.
  • Sep 08, 1900 - Clara Barton's last relief operation is on behalf of the devasting hurricane & tidal wave that hit Galveston, Texas.
  • Jan 05, 1905 - American Red Cross receives the Congressional Charter under which it still operates today.
  • Apr 18, 1906 - Earthquake & Fire in San Francisco. President Truman calls on the Red Cross to lead relief.
  • Oct 09, 1909 - Major Charles Lynch appointed director of new Red Cross First Aid Department.
  • Jan 20, 1910 - First meeting to form the American Red Cross Nursing Services is chaired by Jane Delano.
  • Nov 05, 1910 - Pullman Company donates first railroad car to Red Cross for use around the country as a classroom for first aid instruction.
  • Dec 15, 1910 - Thomas Edison Company releases "The Red Cross Seal", a film about the ravages of tuberculosis & Red Cross efforts to prevent its spread.
  • Mar 25, 1911 - Red Cross helps families' of tragic Triangle Shirt factory fire in New York City.
  • Feb 06, 1912 - Red Cross approves creation of a rural nursing program.
  • Apr 12, 1912 - Clara Barton dies at age of 91.
  • Apr 14, 1912 - Red Cross aids those who survived the sinking of the Titanac.
  • Mar 19, 1913 - President Woodrow Wilson named first honorary president of the The American Red Cross, establishing a precedent for all future chief executives.
  • Sep 12, 1914 - Red Cross Mercy Ship sails to Europe with medical staff & supplies following outbreak of World War I.
  • Jul 24, 1915 - Red Cross responds to the S.S. Eastland which capsizes in the Chicago River causing over 800 deaths.
  • May 10, 1917 - President Woodrow Wilson appoints a war council to guide operations of the Red Cross during the first World War.
  • May 12, 1917 - Red Cross dedicates its headquarters building in Washington DC.
  • Jun 17, 1917 - Red Cross holds first War Fund drive surpassing a goal of $100 million in one week.
  • Sep 15, 1917 - Woodrow Wilson calls on the youth to join the newly formed Junior Red Cross.
  • May 05, 1919 - League of Red Cross Societies is formed in Paris France.
  • May 17, 1919 - Red Cross National Children's fund is set up.
  • Oct 04, 1921 - Red Cross open its first National Convention in Columbus, OH.
  • Sep 01, 1923 - Red Cross aids thousands of earthquake & fire victims in Tokyo & Yokohama, Japan.
  • Apr 21, 1927 - Major levee break causes great Mississippi River flood. Red Cross aids victims.
  • May 15, 1940 - Early blood processing program begins called Plasma for Britain.
  • Feb 04, 1941 - Red Cross begins National Blood Donor Service to collect blood for the US military.
  • Jun 01, 1941 - Red Cross services to military unifies as "Services to Armed Forces".
  • Nov 03, 1941 - Irving Berlin's "Angels in Mercy" becomes official Red Cross wartime song.
  • Dec 07, 1941 - Red Cross volunteers respond to attack on Pearl Harbor.
  • Nov 11, 1942 - Red Cross opens famous Rainbow Corner Club in London for servicemen.
  • Mar 20 1945 - President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's last radio talk to nation is in support of the Red Cross War Fund.
  • Aug 29 1945 - Red Cross arrives in Japan to help rebuild Japanese Red Cross after World War II.
  • Jan 12, 1948 - Red Cross opens its first blood collection center in Rochester, NY.
  • Oct 01, 1949 - World War II Hero George C. Marshall becomes Red Cross President.
  • Jul 22, 1950 - Red Cross becomes blood collection agency for military during Korean War.
  • Jul 14, 1955 - United States ratifies the Geneva Convention of 1949 that still applies today.
  • Dec 05, 1962 - Red Cross begins collecting medicines & food for Cuba in exchange for release of Bay of Pig POW's.
  • Mar 27, 1964 - Red Cross aids victims of massive earthquake that struck Anchorage, Alaska.
  • Feb 14, 1972 - Red Cross calls for national blood policy that will standardize practices and end to paid donations.
  • Apr 29, 1975 - Red Cross begins 4-month Operation New Life for Vietnam refugees brought to the United States.
  • Feb 25, 1977 - President Jimmy Carter makes his 51st blood donation in bloodmobile at the White House.
  • Jan 13, 1983 - United States blood banking community issue their first warning about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
  • Oct 21, 1983 - Red Cross expands bone marrow program which leads to stem cell collection and distribution.
  • Feb 23, 1987 - Red Cross opens its Holland Laboratory dedicated to Biomedical research.
  • Aug 03, 1992 - First National Testing Laboratory opens in Dedham, Massachusetts.
  • Apr 19, 1995 - Red Cross aids victims of bombing of Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
  • Nov 16, 1998 - Red Cross opens Armed Forces Emergency Center with hi-tech emergency communications service for military.
  • Sep 11, 2001 - Red Cross responds to the terrorist attacks in New York, The Pentagon and in rural Pennsylvania.
  • Oct 3, 2001 - Red Cross announces Liberty Fund for September 11 victims.
  • Oct 11, 2001 - President Bush announces America's fund for Afghan children with contributions to be distributed by the Red Cross.
  • Aug 13, 2004 - Hurricance Charley slams into Florida, followed in quick succession by hurricanes Francis, Ivan & Jeanne that calls for major Red Cross relief.
  • Dec 26, 2004 - Red Cross volunteers respond to massive tsunami that brings destruction to 12 countries South East Asia.