Cincinnati Birth Center

This Juneteenth, we honor the Black midwives of the 1800s. ❤️💙

In the early 1800s, Black women were the backbone of community healthcare, widely practicing midwifery. But freedom threatened the established medical order. Following the Civil War, male-dominated medical societies and gynecologists launched a targeted smear campaign against these healers.

By painting traditional midwives as unhygienic, unscientific, and dangerous, they successfully weaponized public perception. Systemic bans quickly followed, making the profession illegal and inaccessible.

This did two things:
🚫 Stripped women of their birthing autonomy
🚫 Pushed qualified Black women completely out of the medical field

Today, we remember that healthcare equity is a critical piece of the ongoing journey toward collective liberation.

You can help make a difference! Join us on May 20th at the Ohio State Capitol at 12:30 to lobby for Midwives. 🤍