March 28, 1841

Dorothea Dix Begins Her Crusade

Region:
Greater Boston

On this day in 1841, Dorothea Dix visited an East Cambridge jail and was appalled to see mentally ill women confined alongside hardened criminals. The 40-year-old teacher and writer had been exposed to the work of English reformers, and now she embarked on a campaign to ensure humane treatment for the mentally ill in America. She began by documenting conditions in Massachusetts. With the help of several powerful men, she used her research to convince the legislature to enlarge the state mental institution in Worcester. Dix then took her crusade to other states, traveling over 30,000 miles in three years. Working largely behind the scenes, she persuaded state governments around the country to assume responsibility for their mentally ill citizens.

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