During Black History Month, we honor Anarcha Westcott,

During Black History Month, we honor Anarcha Westcott,

a 17-year-old enslaved girl who endured around 30 surgical procedures without anesthesia to treat a vesicovaginal fistula—an abnormal connection between the bladder and vagina that causes urine leakage.

Despite the unimaginable pain and suffering, Anarcha survived. The man who performed these surgeries, James Marion Sims—often credited as the “father of gynecology”—conducted these experiments on enslaved Black women without their consent or pain relief. Rather than recognizing him, we uplift Anarcha as the true “Mother of Gynecology.” Her resilience and unwilling sacrifice laid the foundation for advancements in women’s health.

Black history is American history, and it must be told in its entirety—even when it is painful.