State Historical Society of Missouri announces health and wellness theme for Black History Month celebration
Homer G. Phillips Hospital Nurses Class of 1965. // Photo Courtesy of UMSL Black History Project Photograph Collection, State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-St. Louis
The State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) will host free virtual events exploring Black health and wellness. The Black History Month theme for 2022 was announced by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).
A panel discussion will be presented in partnership with the Black Nurses Association of Greater St. Louis., in conversation regarding the role of nurses in improving the lives of Missourians. This first event will be held Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
University of Missouri-St. Louis associate professor of nursing, Wilma Calvert, and SHSMO senior archivist, AJ Medlock, will moderate with guest panelists Shuron Jones and Brittany Ferrell.
Jones is a history instructor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) and will be discussing the work of the 1970s nurse Zenobia Thompson. Thompson is known for her opposition to the City of St. Louis’ efforts to close the Homer G. Phillips Hospital.
Ferrell—a registered nurse and activist—will discuss her current work on improving outcomes of Black maternal and infant health. Ferrell previously worked as a labor delivery nurse and was a 2014 participant in the Ferguson protests.
The second event will be held Feb. 22 by Joan Stack—SHSMO art curator—in partnership with Missouri University-Columbia Libraries. Stack will present on “Exploring Black Health and Wellness Through a Collection of Historical Images,” featuring artwork and photography highlighting the experiences of Black Americans in relation to health care and wellness throughout the 20th century.
A complementary exhibition will be on display in the colonnade cases of Ellis Library on the University of Missouri–Columbia campus from Feb. 7 to May 23, 2022.
All events are free to the public and will be held online via Zoom. Registration is available via the SHSMO events page.
SHSMO is the premier center for the study of Missouri’s local and state history. The organization provides lecture series, podcast episodes, digital photographs, scholarly articles, past presentations, and many more educational resources that can be found online.
