This collection consists of copies of correspondence, articles, diaries, memoirs, and other manuscripts by and about the Blackwell family. Also, a small group of papers, including correspondence, documents, photographs, and printed papers, about the Rice family of New York.
A true pioneer in the area of women's rights, Elizabeth Blackwell was the first female physician in the United States. This collection primarily consists of her letters to close, personal friend Barbara Leigh Smith, later Barbara Bodichon. Also included are a few letters to Bodichon from Bessie Parkes, Dr. Emily Blackwell, and Elizabeth Whitehead.