Motherwit: An Alabama Midwife's Story

by Onnie Lee Logan, Katherine Clark

Recounts the eventful forty-year career of a black woman who pressed her way through the medical world as a midwife, detailing the joys, the dangers, and the everyday experiences of this vanishing profession

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, History, Memoir, Family, Medical

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book because it was required for a doula training that I completed. At first I was skeptical that a memoir/oral history would be helpful, but I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I think I gained more from this book than I did from any of the (excellent) "how-to" type books about labor and delivery that were recommended.

The book tells the story of Onnie Lee Logan, one of the last African American "granny" midwives, in her own words. Often villified by the white medical establishment, the "granny" midwives played a vital role in the health of African Americans in the south up through the latter half of the 20th century. Ms. Logan's knowledge, skill and passion shine through on every page. Some of her stories had me on the edge of my seat. Her strong sense of midwifery as her spiritual vocation was inspiring. A must-read for anyone interested in the history of medicine, childbirth, women's studies and African-American history.

[MiMi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Katherine Clark but a story told by Onnie Lee Logan, the last granny midwife in Alabama, in her own words. The last thing she was determined to do was tell her life story. To create a book about her life’s work. She didn’t want it buried with her. Some of her stories had my eyes bugging. She had one of the most inspiring truths and acceptance about her faith and spirituality. A very interesting read in regards to poor black women and girls and the care they received in the ante, intra, and post-partum periods.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing oral history

Have you heard of Onnie Lee Logan? If not, this history will inspire you as well as fascinate you with its own brand of personal courage told"like it was." Bonnie Lee passed away at the age of 85, after an inspired life of service to people of all races in a South which primarily sought to discourage any type of achievement for a person of color.

[Heather Litster · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wisdom that Onnie had collected in her life, her passion, and her support of folks through birth and loss is truly remarkable. Especially in a time where she was learning a lot of it on her own and had to stand up against social and racial injustice along the way. Her humility, her intuition, and her love of helping truly inspires how I choose to work with folks in my helping profession.

I would also say reading the afterword is a MUST, Katherine’s admiration and respect of Onnie had me sobbing.

[Brenduh · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! I listened to the audiobook from NLS BARD. I don't think it's available anywhere else. The volunteer reader was very good but the story was like not a story but like sitting on the floor of an old Granny's house and listening to her life story. If you want a story about a midwife you probably won't like this but if you want a story about what it was like back in the early 1900s from the point of view of a black person, this is the book for you. It's just like we're sitting in Onnie's living room, sipping a cup of tea and listening to a life story. It was fantastic in my opinion.

[Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading

This book was knowledgeable, funny,and real. It tells the story most black people experienced seven today. She told the story my mom used to tell about the depression years WHICH didn't really affect blacks. They lived off what they raised and had no money anyway.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked out this book from the Birmingham Public Library. Printing the book in the voice of Onnie brought back many memories of growing up in the Deep South. The descriptive language, the surrounding age activities and treatment of Blacks during time caused tears to flow. There were happy memories too. I did not read to learn about midwifery but to learn about the life well lived by a midwife.

[Brenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an amazing person. I wish she were my grandma and she could tell me stories of her life all the time. She just has so much experience and life lived. And a great attitude even though she's not been treated fairly in a lot of ways.

It was a little hard to read because it seemed basically just like a transcript of her talking, I would much rather have listened to it than read it.

[Emily Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful

The spoken words of such a woman as Onnie pull you from your paltry expectations of what life should offer you, and push you towards discovering where your happiness truly is, and what you can do to live your life and love it.

[LowcountrySC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story from a beautiful woman

Onnie’s story is beautiful and spellbinding. I was completely enraptured from the very beginning over this lovely woman’s story. What a phenomenal woman she was.

[Elizabeth Eash · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is written the exact way it was told to the writer, no editing was done and because of that it was a hard book to read due the excessive repetitiveness throughout. There's a few tidbits that are interesting throughout.

[Bronwyn Echols · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You got to stop lookin at my black skin and I got to stop lookin at yo' black heart." What a wonderful, wonderful woman Onnie Lee Logan was . . .

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating first hand account of Onnie Long Logan’s long career as an Alabama midwife. The book catalogs rampant racism and misogyny, and is an amazing oral history.
Mrs. Logan died in 1995.

[Tina Rentzis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once you get used to her language, it's a delightful read.

[Jessica Tiderman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. Reading about the life of a midwife is always inspiring.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love 💘 books about midwives, and this one is a good one.

[Rosanna]

Fascinating as an oral history. But very "old fashioned" and un-edited, more like sitting and listening to a rambling talk rather than reading a book.

[Lakira Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal Read

A gripping story, written in the main characters own voice. The story is laced with knowledge, glimpses into life in Alabama in the early 1900's. I loved it!

[riley :)]

has to read this for class and learned a lot about midwifery in the south. this lady had some crazy stories and was insanely hard working working.

[Rachel Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating oral history!

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Motherwit: An Alabama Midwife's Story is an unforgettable book that opens up a hidden view of the struggle for medical care, human equality, and the lack of information available to the first few generations after slavery.

I was drawn to the book because of its Alabama setting. The historical contents goes much deeper than the few towns discussed. The author has penned a masterpiece of historic proportions. She covers how midwives became the force that not only brought children into the world but taught the families how to cook, clean, dress, and be hygienic and other home essentials that was unknown to families who needed it the most.

She shares tales of the arduous labors, the blessings of new life, and her fight to continue serving both Black and white pregnancies. She fought bigotry, hatred, jealousy, the judicial system, and at times the medical doctors who refused to help her. This story is short but covers many years and holds a powerful punch.

I learned where many stereotypes started, and the biggest blessing was seeing the strength and resolve of this fantastic woman being perserved for future generations. A beautiful and vital legacy that should be treasured and shared with more than just midwives and historians.
*Please note I went to recommend this book and found that my original review was lost, so this is written 6 months after my read date.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the memoir of a Southern, black midwife who worked in Alabama during the mid 1900s. It is very different from Jennifer Worth's memoir that inspired the popular TV show, Call the Midwife. This memoir focuses more on the struggles of being a black woman in the South during the civil rights era. It was heartbreaking and fascinating at the same time. It is written as if a recorded interview was being transcribed, so the dialect comes through VERY strong. It took a while to get used to reading it. I'm not sure if it is available on audio, but I bet this would be a good one to listen to because of the dialect.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and best book I have ever read

A vivid history of a poor black woman whom came into her own and willing to share her life's work, her deep belief in God, the history of her life, the Great Depression, and her journey as a midwife. As I finished reading this book I cried, unwilling to believe that Onnie's life was complete. A must-read for any and all midwives both inspiring or currently working as one. I am indeed humbled Onnie. Surely there is a special place in Heaven for you.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that this was written in vernacular, but that also did make it harder to read. I found myself reading quite a bit of it out loud to myself, to capture the accent and really feel immersed in the book. Such an incredible story of one of the last granny-midwives working in Alabama. The style is meandering, like how Southerners talk, which I found charming and appropriate given the subject matter. Just something to be prepared for, especially if you aren't used to it.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I purchased this book to read about a midwife and her stories in the poor rural South. After a 1/3 of the book, I still hasn't gotten to anything midwife related. There was a lot of the horribleness about the treatment of blacks in the South and if that had been the topic I was interested in, I would have given the book five stars. Either the book is mis-titled or the author takes too long to reach the point of the book. I gave up.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a little bit of everything! Her family history, work, her life and the instances and situations she encounter in her work, all of which help the reader to better understand how the book came to be written and giving the piece a deeper substance that filled my heart and causes it to ache all at the same time. The Spirituality of the writer and connection to her ancestors was just one aspect of this book I really enjoyed! I can see myself revisiting this book again in the future!

[Noelle M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Katherine Clark transcribes the memoir in the midwife's own voice. The descriptions of places and people and events over the half century Mrs. Logan lived and worked is a you-are-there kind of experience. No apologies, no tear jerking sentimentality, no finger-pointing accusations. I like this ever so much better than Jackson Taylor's whiny Blue Orchard.

[Momma Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

the first part is good, about her childhood. It is slow reading, or might be to someone that hear the language in their head. However as it gets to the middle, the "birthing" part it seems repeative, and doesn't really tell a story any more.

Worth a read, took me a day plus taking care of the kids, but not earth shattering.

[Michelle Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish this because it was a library book that was lost somehow and when my husband found it, it was over due....but it was really good actually!

[Spring · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow read. Would read part of it then walk away and comeback. Had some interesting historical birth info and her life was interesting, but not sure I liked the format/how it was put together.