"Betsey, Lucy, and Anarcha: Recognition and Remembrance" with MHRI

On Monday, in collaboration with MedStar Washington Hospital Center Women and Infants' Services OBGYN Department, MHRI Senior Leadership, D.C. Safe Babies Safe Moms, and MedStar Research AIDE, we hosted a virtual gathering "Betsey, Lucy, and Anarcha: Recognition and Remembrance" to honor and remember the lives of enslaved women that suffered in the name of science and medical discovery. We chose this day as the overlap of Black History Month and Women's History Month.

After opening remarks from several MedStar Health leaders, we viewed two educational videos together: The Disturbing History of American Medicine | Racist American History and The US Medical System is Still Haunted by Slavery. The videos discussed Dr. J.Marion Sims,and the  experimental surgeries he performed on enslaved women, including Betsey, Lucy, Anarcha and others. Sims performed 30 surgeries on Anarcha alone, without anesthesia or other pain management practices typically offered to white patients. While Sims cemented his reputation as the “father of modern gynecology” with the discoveries he made at the expense of Anarcha, Betsey and Lucy, many of his enslaved subjects did not receive the new treatments his discoveries afforded.  Despite this, the celebration of J. Marion Sims and his work continued into modern times.  A statue celebrating J. Marion Sims stood in New York's Central Park until it was removed in 2018 amid growing controversy, and is discussed in the article "The Surgeon Who Experimented on Slaves", published in the Atlantic. As a research community, we still have work to do in recognizing the unethical standards that protected physicians like Sims.

Dr. Bryan Buckley (Research Fellow, MedStar Health Research Institute) led a meaningful discussion in which associates shared their thoughts, experiences and opinions. There were over 170 MedStar Health associates from across the system that attended this event and I am MedStar Health Proud of their courage to speak up and let their voices be heard in the chat, the audience response questions or live discussion. 

As a man of science, this horrific torture of enslaved women done in the name of science can not be forgot or forgiven - science should never be used as an excuse for how we behavior nor for doing the right thing.  I am glad our associates brought this part of history to my awareness so I and our entire community can learn from it and ensure it never happens again.

If you missed the presentation you may view the materials here:

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