Heralding the Way to a New World

Blackwell and Nightingale met in London in 1850, just prior to Nightingale beginning her formal nursing training. They maintained a friendship for the rest of their lives, providing guidance and encouragement to each other through various endeavors. In the late 1850s they planned to create a hospital in England together although that collaboration didn’t ultimately come to fruition. They worked together again during the American Civil War when, with Nightingale’s support, Blackwell helped organize relief efforts and train nurses for the Union.