Mothers of Gynecology – An Evening with Artist Michelle Browder and Friends

This event is organized around the upcoming loan of a Robert Thom painting from Michigan Medicine’s collection to artist Michelle Browder. The painting depicts surgeon J. Marion Sims (generally lionized as the “father of modern gynecology”) and three of the enslaved Black women on whom he experimented in his effort to treat vesicovaginal fistula. 

Browder founded a museum honoring the women depicted in the painting. Her art reimagined the painting by centering the women who made modern gynecology possible — the “mothers of gynecology” — and has spurred needed conversations about the history of gynecology and medical racism. In addition to Ms. Browder, Drs. Aletha Maybank and Veronica Pimentel will speak, as will descendants of one of the women depicted in the painting.

The event will mark the occasion of this painting getting a fitting home, consider Michigan Medicine’s dilemmas over whether/how to display it, and examine the history of gynecology and medicine more broadly. 

Registration required, seating is limited. A livestream link will also be available after registration. 

Questions? Please contact Heidi Mueller at (734) 647-6914 or muellerh@umich.edu