Listening to Black women saves Black lives for The Lancet

“I am one of two African American women who are endowed professors in the history of medicine in the USA. I am the only African American woman directing a traditional medical humanities programme in the USA. When I accepted my position in 2019 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I did not know I would step into a position that would make me a historical first. Since this time, I have become preoccupied with learning about Black women who are “firsts” within the annals of US histories of medicine. As a historian who writes about the medical experiences of 19th-century Black women and also about contemporary reproductive and birthing justice activists, I have found an unchanging practice that connects the past and present. In the USA, medical professionals and organisations have largely ignored Black women when they attempt to advocate for themselves. Unfortunately, numerous government agencies and universities publish studies that provide embarrassing statistics on the health outcomes for Black women.”

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