Kate Waller Barrett - Doctor, Mother, Widow

Doctor, Mother, Widow

When Rev. Barrett was assigned to Atlanta in 1886, Katherine Barrett, with his encouragement, pursued a medical degree, while also establishing what came to be her first shelter for unwed mothers. The Women's Medical College of Georgia awarded Katherine Waller Barrett an M.D. in 1892 and a doctor of science degree in 1894. Dr. Barrett never intended to practice as a physician, but wanted to bolster her credibility: “she recognized that the initials ‘M.D.’ behind her name gave weight to her viewpoints.”

While earning those degrees and working on numerous charitable causes, Barrett also raised six children, with the considerable assistance of a black nanny. Her husband's health, never robust, began failing, and they returned to the Alexandria area while he was assigned in Washington D.C., and later traveled to Europe to seeking cures. Thus, Barrett also studied nursing at the Florence Nightingale Training School in London, England. However, Rev. Barrett died in 1896, leaving his 39 year old widow with six young children.