Designing a Public Advocate: The Story of Alice Hamilton, MD

Alice Hamilton is the person most responsible for establishing workplace safety standards in the United States.  She is often referred to as the “mother of OSHA” (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration).   For 22 years she was a resident of Hull House in Chicago, as well as a close friend and personal physician to Jane Addams.  It was during that time that Hamilton established a new applied medical field, investigating physically toxic work environments. As the unquestioned national expert in workplace toxicology, she became the first woman to teach at Harvard University in any field.  During her retirement she became a vocal advocate for immigrant rights in the face of the 1950’s Red Scare, resulting in an FBI case being opened on her when she was in her 70s. This presentation will explore the personal characteristics that led to her remarkable achievements and examine how she evolved into the advocate she became.