Confederate Women in the Field of Nursing and their Impact on Southern Women’s Roles in Society

Author

• Laura Leigh L. Prater, University of North AlabamaFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-9-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

First Advisor

Dr. Frances Turnbell

Second Advisor

Dr. Carolyn Crawford

Third Advisor

Dr. Ansley Quiros

Abstract

During the Civil War, Confederate women had the opportunity to go to work as nurses. The majority of these women had never been allowed to take on roles beyond the domestic sphere in antebellum society.  Despite most of these women having limited medical training, they developed an expertise in nursing, extraordinary organization skills and gained respect for their achievements.  Their achievements proved that women were able to do far more than many in the South believed prior to the war.  This paper will show how the demands of war opened doors of greater opportunity for women in the South for employment after the war, which contributed to the changed outlook on gender roles, and lasting effects in healthcare in the South in the decades after the Civil War.

Recommended Citation

Prater, Laura Leigh L., "Confederate Women in the Field of Nursing and their Impact on Southern Women’s Roles in Society" (2026). Theses. 59.
https://roar.una.edu/theses/59