Why the Legacy of Early Gynecology Still Shapes Black Maternal Health Today

On February 5, 2026, I once again had the pleasure of hearing artist and community organizer Michelle Browder at GLIDE in San Francisco, CA. It had been two years since I visited her at the Mothers of Gynecology memorial and museum that she created in Montgomery, Alabama, and her message was still loud and clear. 

When people discuss the history of modern gynecology, the conversation often centers on medical breakthroughs and scientific advancements. What is rarely discussed with equal weight is the human cost of that progress - specifically, the suffering endured by three enslaved Black women whose bodies were used to build the foundation of modern reproductive medicine. 

The Mothers of Gynecology Memorial and Museum stands just six blocks away from the den of horrors where Anarca, Betsey, and Lucy were subjects of Dr. J. Marian Sims’ experiments.  This physical reminder shows us that progress in medicine has too often been built on the exploitation of Blacks, systemic racism, and veiled in silence. This memorial honors the three enslaved women who were subjected to repeated experimental surgical procedures in the 1840s without anesthesia. Anarchy, Lucy, and Betsey were operated on in the name of developing surgical techniques to repair vesicovaginal fistulas, a childbirth injury. Their pain was dismissed under the racist and false belief, which still exists today, that assumes Black women could tolerate more physical suffering than white women. Their stories were largely erased from traditional medical education for generations, even though their forced participation directly contributed to advances still used in gynecology today.

Browder’s museum forces us to confront the hard truth that modern gynecology did not evolve in a vacuum. It was shaped by systemic racism that treated Black bodies as disposable research material. Unfortunately, the legacy of that exploitation lives on in today’s maternal health outcomes, where Black women continue to face disproportionate risks during pregnancy and childbirth.

It is unsettling that in 2026, Black women are still significantly more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women across the United States, not because of genetics, and not because Black women are inherently less healthy. It is because of systemic bias in pain assessment, delayed diagnosis, dismissal of reported symptoms, under-resourced hospitals serving Black communities, and the lack of culturally responsive care.

Many Black women report not being listened to during prenatal visits or during labor. Their complaints of pain are minimized, symptoms are overlooked, and warning signs are missed. These experiences are not isolated incidents; they represent patterns deeply rooted in the same medical bias that allowed Anarcha, Betsey, and Lucy to be experimented on without consent or compassion.

The work being done today by artist and activist Michelle Browder is about more than historical remembrance. By creating the Mothers of Gynecology memorial and museum in Montgomery, she has created a space for truth-telling, healing, and education. But her vision does not stop there. Browder has long-term plans to establish a school for doulas and midwives -- an initiative that could directly impact maternal health outcomes for Black women and other marginalized communities.

Doulas and midwives have been shown to improve birth outcomes by providing advocacy, emotional support, and culturally responsive care. For many Black families, having someone present who understands their lived experience can literally be life-saving. A school dedicated to training birth workers through a culturally grounded, historically informed lens represents a powerful step toward repairing generations of harm.

This work matters because medical distrust in Black communities did not appear out of nowhere. It was earned through centuries of unethical treatment. Rebuilding trust requires acknowledging the past, changing present systems, and investing in community-based solutions led by people who understand the cultural and social realities Black families face.

If we are serious about improving maternal outcomes for Black women, we must move beyond statistics and policy statements. We must invest in Black-led birth work programs. We must train providers in cultural humility. We must listen when Black women say something is wrong. And we must continue telling the truth about the foundations of modern medicine.

The Mothers of Gynecology Memorial is not just about history. It is a mirror reflecting where we have been -- and a call to action for where we must go. Black women deserve to survive childbirth. They deserve to be heard. They deserve to receive care rooted in dignity, respect, and humanity.

And true medical progress will only exist when that becomes reality for all.