Group of Durham, N.C. area midwives posed on outside steps of large building, mid to late 1920s?

Containers:

Box 1

Scope and content:

Photograph of a group of 20 Durham, North Carolina area midwives, posed standing in three rows on a flight of outside steps. From the architectural details, this is almost certainly the Old County Courthouse (built 1916), site of the Health Department offices. The midwives, mostly older women, are dressed in white caps and long aprons, and there are many cloth bundles, possibly their traveling supplies, on the steps surrounding the group. With the exception of one or two individuals, the midwives appear to be African American or mixed race women.

In the top back row, also standing, are Dr. Jesse Epperson, Health Department Superintendent, Elizabeth O'Kelly, the Department's chief nurse, and an unidentified female who appears to be African American, in civilian dress. From the style of Dr. Epperson's suit, the date appears to be sometime in the later 1920s.

On the back of the print is penciled, "Midwives - once an institution," and press photograph editorial marks.

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