Liberator in History: Dr. Mary Edwards Walker

You may have never heard of her, or her accomplishments and heroism, or that she was the only woman to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor. But now, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker's name has resurfaced as a thorn in the side of our President, even though she died over 100 years ago.

In 2023, the U.S. Army proudly named a base after her: Fort Walker, located in Virginia. It was a powerful recognition of a woman who had saved lives, endured war, and defied exclusion. But now, in 2025, that recognition is being undone to make room for the name of a Confederate general. It’s a reversal that speaks volumes about who is remembered and who is forgotten in our country—and for what reasons.

So, today we remember Dr. Mary Edwards Walker not for the bizarre reversal levied against her good name, but for the countless lives she saved in the field of battle, and for the many she liberated across enemy lines. 

Walker was an anomaly during her day. Six years after earning her medical degree in 1855, a near impossibility for a woman at the time, the Civil War broke out, and Walker, a qualified surgeon, volunteered to serve the Union. Due to her gender, her role was limited to that of an unpaid nurse after the Army refused to recognize her medical degree. But her skill eventually broke through barriers and she became an assistant surgeon for the Army of the Cumberland, making her the first female Army surgeon in U.S. history.

While serving on the front lines performing surgeries in field hospitals, she frequently crossed into enemy territory to treat civilians. Soon she was captured and imprisoned by Confederate troops who inflicted  her with lasting bodily injuries. Despite this burden, she returned to active duty upon her release, continuing to heal the injured and risking her life once more.

When the Civil War ended, President Andrew Johnson awarded her the Medal of Honor for her service and bravery. But decades later, in 1917, the U.S. government stripped her of her prestigious honor as part of a sweeping redefinition that excluded civilians. But Dr. Walker refused to return the medal. She wore it until her death in 1919, believing rightly that her service had earned it.

Over half a century later, her medal was reinstated by President Jimmy Carter—an overdue correction to a long-standing injustice. He understood that how a nation honors its heroes, regardless of gender, says a lot about who we are and the character traits we esteem. Sadly, we have hit a new low when a woman, once elevated to a place of honor for her bold courage and selfless service, is removed to honor a man who instead warred against our union. 

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker is the epitome of a true Liberator in History. She risked her life on battlefields, behind enemy lines, and in makeshift hospitals to save the wounded. She endured capture, injury, and gender prejudice, yet she never wavered from her purpose. Her skill saved countless lives. Her courage redefined what it meant to serve. And through it all, she stood firm in her values and in herself, refusing to let the limits others placed on her define her or hold her back. That's why we remember her. That's why she deserves every honor her country gave her. And that's why she joins our roster of Liberators in History.