Elizabeth Blackwell lived a life of complete dedication to her goals and principles, and she opened a valuable door to all the women who would come after her. A woman of high principles and firm faith, she recognized and mourned the injustice and corruption in society. She sought to use her life to do as much good as she could, knowing that as insignificant as her efforts might seem, she at least was on the right track. She was sympathetic to the Women's Rights movement, and clearly was instrumental in opening the doors of equal education women. At the same time, she wrote regarding the Women's Rights Convention that the "true end of freedom [might] be better gained in another way," for she had had too much support and kindness from men to be able to work "body and soul" with an "anti-man movement."
Having spent most of her life in England and Northern America (not to mention having had a reformist father), she was also sympathetic towards the abolitionist movement, and despised slavery. During her time teaching in North Carolina, she taught Sunday school classes to groups of slaves, declaring that the only way she could live among slaves in good conscience was if she instructed them and did all she could to help them.
Elizabeth spent much of her later life lecturing and writing, and authored a good number of works. For those that are interested, the following site contains links to many of Elizabeth's written works: <http://library.upstate.edu/collections/history/blackwell/>.
Elizabeth died in the spring of 1910 at the age of 89, and was buried in the Highlands of Scotland. Her life, however, had changed America forever. By the time she died, America had approximately 7000 women physicians -- a dramatic testament to the power and success of her firm dedication to her goals in the face of overwhelming obstacles.
