Episode 20: Remembering Anarcha

We often imagine that feelings of unhappiness come from outside us — in our circumstances or the difficult people in our lives. But what if the forces that erode our happiness come from within? Psychologist George Loewenstein joins us to explore why our minds nudge us toward the ... Show More

When historian Kate Bowler was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, she became fascinated by the ways people try to impose order on events they can't control. She joins us to explore what it means to live fully when life offers no satisfying explanation for the tragedies we may face. ... Show More

Think about the last time you had a discouraging thought. Maybe you told yourself, "This won't work. I'm not cut out for this." Did you take that thought as fact? Last week, we talked with psychologist Martin Seligman about why some people come to believe that their actions don’t ... Show More

J. Marion Sims is hailed as the father of gynecology, but his legacy is tainted by his experimental surgeries on enslaved women. In this classic episode, Cristen and Caroline contextualize Sims' controversy, diagnose medicine's racist past and honor the unsung mothers of gynecolo ... Show More

By 1848, Dr. J. Marion Sims had gone from just experimenting on enslaved women, to becoming an enslaver himself. His quest for fame while finding a cure for vesico-vaginal fistulas meant performing inhumane surgeries on the women he held captive. Women whose plight would remain u ... Show More

After a failed start to his medical career, Dr. J. Marion Sims settled in Alabama to continue his training. There he found success and started his own practice — specializing in the treatment of enslaved women and their children. But as Sims’ business grew, so did his ego. His de ... Show More

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A doctor from Guadeloupe dedicates his life to honoring the memory of his island’s enslaved ancestors, and fights to make sure their names will not be forgotten.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A transcript of this episode is avail ... Show More

Black women have made significant contributions to medicine and public health but all too often, their stories are overlooked and forgotten. Today, we’re honoring the life of Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, a pioneer in our country’s medical history as the first Black woman to earn a m ... Show More

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style= "font-family: 'Adobe Hebrew',serif;">Of all wealthy countries, the United States is the most dangerous place to have a baby. Our maternal mortality rate is abysmal, and over the past five years it's only gotten worse. And there are huge racial di ... Show More

In this episode, we go deeper into the ancient feminine power they tried to erase. Before patriarchy, goddesses like Inanna, Hathor, and Oshun represented sensuality, wisdom, and divine leadership. Their stories were buried — but the power remains. This isn’t new. It’s remembranc ... Show More

<p>Becoming the first licensed woman physician in America was tough, convincing male surgeons to wash their hands between patients was even tougher. Today Josh and Chuck pay tribute to a genuine pioneer in medicine and society.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a h ... Show More

In this bonus suture tale episode, we cover the life and works of the famous Italian surgeon and anatomist Antonio Scarpa. While many are familiar with him from the eponymously named fascia, his contributions to the science of medicine extend well beyond this. Known as a tyrant i ... Show More

On this short Mother's Day episode, Madzimoyo Owusu came to StoryCorps with her daughter, Johannah Owusu, to honor the memory of the woman who helped shape her life.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage you ... Show More