In all of U.S. history, there has only been one woman to receive the Medal of Honor and that’s Mary Edwards Walker from Upstate New York.

Mary was a surgeon, abolitionist, women’s rights advocate, and spy. During the Civil War, she became the first female U.S. Army surgeon, breaking barriers and blazing a path that still inspires today.

Early Life, Family Influence, and Medical Education

Mary was born on November 26, 1832, in the Town of Oswego. Her parents, Alvah and Vesta Walker, were abolitionists who encouraged their daughters to think freely . Unlike most girls at the time, Mary was allowed to wear “bloomer” pants instead of the traditional skirts and corsets.

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Education was a big deal for the family and Mary an

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