History of Easter Seals

The forerunner of today's organization was founded in 1919 by Edgar Allen, an Elyria, Ohio, businessman, after his son was killed in a streetcar accident. The lack of adequate medical services to save his son's life motivated him to organize the building of a hospital in his community. Subsequently, he took a deep interest in a young boy who came to the hospital for orthopedic treatment. This experience made him aware of the needs of other children with disabilities. With the help of Rotary Clubs, he formed the Ohio Society for Crippled Children, the first organization created to help children with physical disabilities.

The movement gradually spread throughout the United States. In 1944, the words "and adults" were added to the national Society for Crippled Children's name because serving adults had become an increasingly important part of the society's program. There were two more significant name changes.

In 1967, the words "Easter Seal:" were incorporated in the society's name, reflecting the public's awareness and acceptance of the traditional campaign symbol. In 1979, the phrase "for crippled children and adults" was dropped from the society's name because the term "crippled" had a negative connotation for people with and without disabilities and was no longer acceptable in the rehabilitation field.