Recentering the History of Modern Gynecology: Anarcha, Betsey, Lucy, and Other Subjects of J. Marion Sims

Michelle Browder is a visionary artist, activist, community and movement builder, and creator of the Mothers of Gynecology monument in Montgomery, AL, which honors the sacrifice of enslaved experimental subjects of the so-called “father of gynecology,” J. Marion Sims.

Ms. Browder is also the founder of the social enterprise, More Than Tours which exposes young people to Alabama’s rich history, and More Up, which aims to further the national reckoning around race in America by finding creative ways to honor the voiceless, the minimized, and the ignored.
Ms. Browder will talk about Sims’ controversial, yet medically significant research on enslaved Black women, their experience, and legacy. She will discuss the Mothers of Gynecology movement which highlights Anarcha, Betsey, Lucy, and other Black slaves who had no choice about their participation in Sims’s experiments and were later leased to Sims by their owners to serve in his practice.

Medical Historian, Dr. Scott Podolsky, will give an introduction and share some of the history of this exploitative research. A commentary by Dr. Rose Molina on racial disparities in OB/GYN care will conclude the panel discussion. This program will be moderated by HMS student, Kyeisha Laurence.

Registration for this event is not required.