There is a stark, historical under-representation of birth, the working lives of women and in particular the work of midwives of colour who lived in early settlement communities during the 19th and early 20th centuries. This study will examine the hidden histories of racialized midwives in Canada, beginning with Black midwives in Canada.
The objective of this study is to analyze, understand, and explain the hidden histories of racialized immigrant midwives in Canada. This study will include the stories of seniors who witnessed or hold stories of midwifery care by People of Colour (racialized birth attendants).
This project combines the talents of historians, researchers, archivists, and storytellers to create a virtual database to collect the identities, artifacts and birth stories of midwives and traditional birth attendants.