Women’s History Month: Honoring Black Women Leaders in Maternal and Child Health

As this is the last semester of my senior year, I reflect on the many meaningful opportunities that have shaped my academic journey. One of the most impactful experiences has been working in the SUPEROVA Lab. Through this work, I have engaged in advocacy-centered research focused on maternal and child health, contributed to scholarship, and, most importantly, shared profound knowledge with the communities we aim to serve.

As I reflect on this work, I am reminded of the many Black women whose groundbreaking contributions laid the foundation for the maternal and child health field. Their advocacy and dedication to community-centered care continue to inspire the work we do today.

As we celebrate March as Women’s History Month, it is important to recognize the Black women whose work has advanced maternal and child health across the African diaspora. Their contributions have helped expand access to care, challenge inequities in health systems, and advocate for the well-being of Black mothers, children, and families. Below are just a few of the pioneers whose work continues to shape the field.

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler made history as the first African American woman to earn a medical degree in the United States, graduating from the New England Female Medical College in 1864¹. At a time when both racial and gender barriers severely limited access to medical education, Dr. Crumpler dedicated her career to providing medical care to underserved communities, particularly formerly enslaved individuals following the Civil War. Her work primarily focused on the health of women and children, which were areas often neglected by the medical establishment of the time. In 1883, she published A Book of Medical Discourses, one of the first medical texts written by an African American physician.

Dr. Crumpler’s dedication to community-centered care and health education laid an early foundation for what we now recognize as the maternal and child health field.

Dr. Shantesica Gilliam

Dr. Shantesica Gilliam is a leading scholar and advocate in maternal and child health and the founder of the SUPEROVA Lab, where research focuses on improving birth outcomes and health equity for minoritized  communities². Dr. Gilliam has been instrumental in increasing maternal and child health education for students interested in public health and social health justice as a professor in Spelman College's Department of Environmental Health Sciences.

At Spelman College, she developed the Foundations of Maternal and Child Health course, the first course at the institution specifically dedicated to the field. In addition to her academic work, Dr. Gilliam is a doula and yoga instructor, integrating holistic wellness practices into maternal care. 

As a student working in the SUPEROVA Lab, I have had the opportunity to witness firsthand how research, advocacy, and community engagement can work together to address maternal health disparities and empower communities.

Dorothy E. Roberts

Renowned sociologist and law researcher Dorothy E. Roberts' work has greatly influenced discussions about public health, reproductive justice, and race. Her breakthrough book, Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty, explores how Black women's reproductive autonomy has been and continues to be controlled in the United States.³ 

Reading Killing the Black Body has deepened my awareness of how the legacy of enslavement continues to impact maternity and child health practices today as a student enrolled in Spelman College's maternal and child health course. The history of medical exploitation, contraception legislation, and Black women's resistance to attempts to restrict their reproductive options is all encompassed in the book. Her work continues to influence research and policy discussions surrounding reproductive justice and maternal and child health equity. 

Dr. Yvonne Bronner

Last but not least, Dr. Yvonne Bronner teaches in the School of Community Health and Policy at Morgan State University's Department of Public Health⁴.  Her research has concentrated on enhancing the health of mothers and children in African American communities, especially by figuring out how to get more Black women to breastfeed.

Dr. Bronner’s work has also shown the importance of engaging fathers and partners in promoting breastfeeding and family health. She conducted one of the early evaluations of Breastfeeding Peer Counselor programs, which train community members to provide culturally relevant breastfeeding support to new mothers. As someone from Baltimore, learning about Dr. Bronner’s contributions to the field is meaningful. Witnessing research that directly supports families in communities close to home reminds me of the impact this fieldwork can have at both the local and national levels.

The scholarship of these women serves as a reminder that the pursuit of health equity, civic engagement, and advocacy has always been closely linked to maternal and child health. In addition to improving healthcare access and research, their contributions have strengthened the voices and experiences of Black mothers and families. Honoring these pioneers as we celebrate Women's History Month empowers us to carry on their legacy through research, resource development, and action for better futures for all communities.

¹U.S. National Library of Medicine. Biography: Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler. Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America’s Women Physicians. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/changing-the-face-of-medicine/physicians/biography_rebecca_crumpler.html

²Gilliam S. Shantesica Gilliam website. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://www.shantesicagilliam.com/academic

³Dawson G. Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty. J Natl Med Assoc. 1998;90(3):185-186.

⁴Morgan State University. Dr. Yvonne Bronner. RCMI Faculty and Staff. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://www.morgan.edu/rcmi/faculty-and-staff/dr-yvonne-bronner