Listen To Me Good - 96 edition

Smith, Margaret Charles :

Margaret Charles Smith has spoken extensively about her years as a midwife at national midwifery conferences, folk festivals, and women's health programs, and her life has been celebrated in numerous newspapers and midwifery publications. In 1985 the Eutaw City Council proclaimed May 11th "Margaret Charles Smith Day," and she became the first black person to receive the keys to the city. She continues to live in Eutaw, Alabama, with her two sons.


Holmes, Linda Janet :

Linda Janet Holmes, a former journalist, currently works for the New Jersey Department of Health, Division of Family Health Services, in Trenton. She is a member of the National Women's Health Network Board, and the New Jersey Women and AIDS Network Board.

"Margaret Charles Smith, a 91-year-old midwife, and Linda Janet Holmes, a long-time friend and historian of Alabama's midwives, have combined their talents to present a fascinating and powerful account of the career of Alabama's oldest living midwife. Born in Greene County, Alabama, in 1906, Margaret Charles Smith attended nearly 3,000 births between 1949, when she received her midwife permit, and 1981, when she attended her last birth. During her distinguished midwifery career, she never lost a mother and rarely lost a baby. . . . In assessing her last days as a midwife, Smith concluded, 'You could count on midwives. They took care of everybody, no matter what.'"

--Journal of the American Medical Association

"Smith's dedication, strong religious faith, and dignity are evident throughout this tribute to a tradition of self-care and community support. This fascinating oral history will interest students of the health sciences, women's studies, and history, as well as general readers. Highly recommended for all collections."

--Library Journal

Ohio State University Press Web Site, Aug., 2001