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Few career opportunities were available to minority women in Appalachia in the first half of the 20th century. Nursing offered them a respected, relatively well paid profession and--as few physicians or hospitals would treat people of color--their work was important in challenging health care inequities in the region. Working in both modern surgical suites and tumble-down cabins, these women created unprecedented networks of care, managed nursing schools and built professional nursing organizations while navigating discrimination in the workplace.
Focusing on the careers and contributions of dozens of African American and Eastern Band Cherokee registered nurses, this first comprehensive study of minority nurses in Appalachia documents the quality of health care for minorities in the region during the Jim Crow era. Racial segregation in health care and education and state and federal policies affecting health care for Native Americans are examined in depth.
List of contents
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: Historical Overview of Segregated Health Care in Appalachia
Part II: History of Individual States and the Qualla Boundary
Georgia �
Kentucky �
North Carolina �
Qualla Boundary �
Tennessee
Virginia
West Virginia
Epilogue
Appendix A: Timeline of Events in African American and Cherokee Nursing in Appalachia, 1900-1965
Appendix B: List of Registered Nurses by State, 1897-1965
References
Index
About the author
Phoebe Ann Pollitt has practiced nursing in Appalachia for more than 30 years. She is an associate professor of nursing at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Her professional research interests are nursing history and health disparities.
Summary
"Few career opportunities were available to minority women in Appalachia in the first half of the 20th century. Nursing offered them a respected, relatively well paid profession and their work was important in challenging healthcare inequities in the region"--
