Panel Discussion with Dr. Martha Bireda, Shawana Brooks, and Dr. Lori Lee

In conjunction with the exhibition “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood,” Dr. Martha Bireda, Scholar and Director of Blanchard House Museum of African History and Culture, will join Writer and Curator Shawana Brooks, and Dr. Lori Lee, Associate Professor of Archeology and Anthropology in a discussion that will focus on Black maternal health through a historical lens

Centered on Brooks’ pregnancy and the premature birth of her son Roosevelt, her “musings” will be shown alongside artwork by Cheryl McCain, Marsha Hatcher, and Tatiana Kitchen. The visual and literary component will be supplemented with local and national statistics on infant and maternal mortality rates that demonstrate current inequities to healthcare access and draws attention to the institutional bias that Black women continue to face.

Originally organized by Hope McMath at Yellow House in Jacksonville, “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality” was shut down due to the pandemic, and had only a limited public viewing in the Summer of 2020. With the original exhibition as a starting point, this iteration will be expanded to include material that reflects St. Augustine and St. Johns County’s unique history. Using their archival collections, each venue historically contextualizes some of the contemporary inequities Black women experience.