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250 YEARS LATER: THE FIGHT FOR BLACK REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE CONTINUES

  • 4 days ago
  • 3 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

In 1776, the United States was founded on ideals of freedom and liberty.


Yet for Black women, birthing people, and families, those promises were never fully realized. Enslaved African women were denied bodily autonomy. Their reproductive lives were controlled, exploited, and legislated as property. That contradiction—between proclaimed freedom and lived oppression, has shaped the foundation of maternal health in this country.


As we mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, we are called to hold both truth and accountability: progress has never been linear, and reproductive justice has always been a struggle for survival, dignity, and self-determination.


For centuries, Black communities have not only endured but built systems of care in response to exclusion and harm. From the preservation of African midwifery traditions during slavery, to the essential leadership of Granny Midwives in the post-emancipation South, to today’s Black doulas, midwives, and community health workers, Black birthwork has always been a form of resistance and survival.



Maude E. Callen: Nurse Midwife – The Angel of Hell Hole
Maude E. Callen: Nurse Midwife – The Angel of Hell Hole

At the same time, this history includes deeply painful realities: medical experimentation without consent, forced sterilization, segregated healthcare systems, and ongoing inequities in maternal and infant outcomes. These are not distant histories; they are structures that continue to shape health outcomes today.



Over the last several decades, Black-led movements and advocates have helped redefine what reproductive health justice looks like in this country. The Reproductive Justice framework, developed by Black women organizers in the 1990s, expanded the national conversation beyond “choice” to include the right to have children, not have children, and raise families in safe and sustainable communities.



Here is a non-exhaustive list highlighting efforts to address a long history of Black reproductive health injustice:


  • The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act is a comprehensive package of federal legislation designed to address maternal health inequities by investing in the root causes of poor outcomes—including housing and transportation barriers, workforce diversification (including doulas and midwives), environmental justice, improved data collection, and expanded access to maternal mental health care.


  • California Momnibus Act: In 2021 Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 65, the California Momnibus Act, designed to improve maternal and infant outcomes – particularly for families of color. Authored by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) with support from maternal health and racial justice groups across the state, the bill will improve research and data collection on racial and socio-economic factors that contribute to higher rates of maternal and infant mortality in communities of color.


  • Multiple states have expanded Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months, extending access to care through the highest-risk period of the postpartum year—a critical policy shift aimed at improving maternal health outcomes.


  • At the same time, states across the country are increasingly recognizing and reimbursing doulas and other community-based perinatal health workers through Medicaid, reflecting growing investment in culturally responsive, community-centered models of care.



  • Black Mama's Matter Alliance organized Black Maternal Health Week, a campaign that has brought national attention to maternal health disparities and solutions.


  • BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center continues to build local infrastructure that centers dignity, trust, and culturally centered care. BWPC’s work in Fresno reflects this broader movement through pregnancy support programming, community health education, and the development of tools like Birthing While Black: A Hospital Guide, all designed to strengthen advocacy, improve birth experiences, and expand access to trusted care.


Together, these efforts and policy changes represent meaningful progress toward addressing longstanding inequities in maternal health by improving continuity of care, strengthening the perinatal workforce, and expanding access to trusted support throughout pregnancy and postpartum.


The 250th anniversary is not only a milestone of national history, but also a reminder that maternal health equity has always been tied to the broader struggle for justice in this country. Our work remains focused on ensuring that Black women and birthing people are supported, informed, and affirmed in every stage of care. We are committed to advancing community-based solutions, expanding access to necessary resources, and advocating for systems where Black families can prosper.




 
 
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