The Granny Midwives
Oral History Project
The Mississippi’s “granny” midwives oral history project focuses on family members and community residents who were delivered by granny midwives or whose families have direct experiences with them.
The project centers two core areas of inquiry:
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the role of granny midwives in childbirth and maternal care, and
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their broader influence on children, families, and community life.
By collecting these stories, Scott Ford Houses, Inc. offers a statewide lens on the history of granny midwives, highlighting regional pride while deepening public understanding of Black women’s contributions to health and caregiving in Mississippi. These narratives expand the historical record and challenge long-standing gaps in how midwifery and women’s labor have been represented in archives and museums.
Scott Ford Houses, Inc. is uniquely positioned to steward this work through longstanding collaborations with the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University and the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center, where project materials will be preserved and made accessible to broad audiences. Portions of this work culminated in a public exhibition at the Smith Robertson Museum, reinforcing the project’s guiding theme:
“Reclaiming Our Legacy and Shifting the Narrative of Mississippi Granny Midwives: A Storytelling Project.”
Help Us Preserve Their Legacy
For generations, midwives and birth workers have cared for Mississippi families, carrying knowledge, traditions, and stories from one generation to the next. Some of their names are well documented. Others live only in family memories and community stories.
As Scott Ford Houses prepares the Those Who Stayed exhibit at the Smith Robertson Museum, we want to hear from you.
Who should we remember?
Share the name of a midwife, doula, birth worker, or community caregiver who made an impact on your family or community. You do not need to know their complete history, share what you know, and help us preserve their legacy.
Use the QR code on the flyer or complete the form below to share with us.
Every name matters.
Every story adds to our history.
