alb3803307

Mary E. Switzer, American Social Reformer

Mary Elizabeth Switzer (February 16, 1900 - October 16, 1971) was an American public administrator and social reformer. She graduated from Radcliffe College in 1921 and started working for the federal government in the US Department of the Treasury. She worked successively with the Minimum Wage Board, the Public Health Service and the Federal Security Agency, becoming increasingly concerned with health care issues. In 1948, in recognition of her contributions to vocational rehabilitation, she received the President's Certificate of Merit. In 1950 she became director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. She notably shaped the 1954 Vocational Rehabilitation Act, which provided a great expansion of vocational rehabilitation service for people with disabilities. She publicized the government's growing role in vocational rehabilitation and encouraged expansion of vocational rehabilitation projects among non-governmental organizations. In 1960 she received the Albert Lasker Award in medicine. She commissioner of the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency in 1961, and finally, the administrator of the Social and Rehabilitation Service in 1967. She retired in 1970 and died in 1971 at the age of 71.

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Title: Mary E. Switzer, American Social Reformer

Caption: Mary Elizabeth Switzer (February 16, 1900 - October 16, 1971) was an American public administrator and social reformer. She graduated from Radcliffe College in 1921 and started working for the federal government in the US Department of the Treasury. She worked successively with the Minimum Wage Board, the Public Health Service and the Federal Security Agency, becoming increasingly concerned with health care issues. In 1948, in recognition of her contributions to vocational rehabilitation, she received the President's Certificate of Merit. In 1950 she became director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. She notably shaped the 1954 Vocational Rehabilitation Act, which provided a great expansion of vocational rehabilitation service for people with disabilities. She publicized the government's growing role in vocational rehabilitation and encouraged expansion of vocational rehabilitation projects among non-governmental organizations. In 1960 she received the Albert Lasker Award in medicine. She commissioner of the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency in 1961, and finally, the administrator of the Social and Rehabilitation Service in 1967. She retired in 1970 and died in 1971 at the age of 71.

Category: History: Personalities

Credit: Album / Science Source / Smithsonian Institution Libraries

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Image size: 5062 × 6693 px | 96.9 MB

Print size: 42.9 × 56.7 cm | 1992.9 × 2635.0 in (300 dpi)

Keywords: 20 20TH XX XXTH TWENTIETH CENTURY • 20 XX TWENTIETH CENTURY • 20TH CENTURY • 20TH • ALBERT LASKER AWARD • AMERICAN • BW • CELEBRITIES • CELEBRITY • FAMOUS PEOPLE • FAMOUS • FEMALE • FIGURE • HEALTH CARE ISSUES • HISTORIC • HISTORICAL • HISTORY • HISTORY: PERSONALITIES • IMPORTANT • MARY ELIZABETH SWITZER • MARY SWITZER • MEDICAL • MEDICINAL • NOTABLE • PEOPLE • PERSON • PERSONALITIES • PERSONALITY • PHOTO • PHOTOGRAPH • PORTAIT • PORTRAIT • POTRAIT • PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR • SCIENCE • SOCIAL REFORMER • SWITZER • TWENTIETH CENTURY • UNITED STATES • US • USA • VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION ACT • VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION • WELFARE REFORMER • WELL-KNOWN • WOMAN • WOMEN