Remembering Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey: The Mothers of Modern Gynecology

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Illustration of Dr. J. Marion Sims with Anarcha by Robert Thom. Courtesy of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Pearson Museum. Pearson Museum, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine hide caption

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Pearson Museum, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

Illustration of Dr. J. Marion Sims with Anarcha by Robert Thom. Courtesy of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Pearson Museum.

Pearson Museum, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

There are three statues in the United States honoring Dr. James Marion Sims, a 19th-century physician dubbed the father of modern gynecology. Invisible in his shadow are the enslaved women whom he experimented on. Today, they are unknown and unnamed except for three: Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey. This week, we talk with historian Vanessa Gamble and poet Bettina Judd as we grapple with the troubling history of medical experimentation on African Americans.

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This story was updated to include the names of professors Vanessa Gamble and Bettina Judd, who are featured in this episode.