Nurse-Midwives are the ones who delivered babies in the homes back in the day. It’s a nursing specialty that’s not seen very much anymore. However, you can find midwives in birthing centers. There’s a birthing center in Charleston called Charleston Birth Place. Here, the expecting mothers have their babies delivered by midwives instead of doctors. Let me tell you about a special nurse-midwife, Mrs. Maude Callen. I heard about Mrs. Maude Callen via social media 2 years ago. I was astounded by her commitment to nursing and the poor, underserved community of Berkeley County, SC. When doctors refused to visit patients, she’d travel several miles through muddy dirt roads to administer care as she carried her medical bag and lamp.
Maude Callen Quick Facts
- Born 1898 in Quincy, Florida
- Educated at HBCUs Florida A&M and Tuskegee Institute
- Medical Missionary with Episcopal Church
- Public Health Nurse for Berkeley County
- One of only 9 nurse-midwives in SC
- Delivered between 600-800 babies in SC
- Known as “Angel in Twilight”
- Featured in LIFE magazine in December 1951
- Invited to the White House by President Reagan
- Retired in 1971, but continued working delivering meals to the needy
- Died in 1990
Watch this short video of Maude Callen in action. I’ll say she’s a Black Florence Nightingale.
My Personal Revelations
Flash forward to 2020. I was getting labs at the hospital. While in the waiting area, I noticed framed wall pictures in a tribute to Maude Callen. That’s when a light bulb went off in my head. Callen Blvd which leads you to the hospital is named after her! I felt overwhelmed with joy.
On top of that, I have more great news. In my older “Nurses Week” post, I briefly mentioned my great-great-grandmother Essie Wilson who was also a midwife. She actually delivered my mother into the world. Well y’all, I carefully looked at my great-great grandmother’s midwifery certificate that my uncle has on the wall in his home. Guess who’s signature is on the certificate! None other than Mrs. Maude Callen! OMG!! Mrs. Callen was her instructor at Penn Center located in St. Helena Island, SC in 1960.
According to my interpretation of the certificate, my great-great-grandmother Mrs. Essie Wilson became a midwife in 1923. Towards the end of her career, she’d renew her certification every 5 years. She was a midwife for at least 42 years.
Maude Callen Clinic
Fetter Health sponsored a Covid-19 vaccine clinic in Pineville, SC back in March 2021. This was the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration. On the route to the vaccination site, my husband and I passed by a building named after Maude Callen. I was super excited, so you know we had to make a stop.
After the LIFE magazine feature, Mrs. Callen received over $20,000. Afterward, the Maude Callen Clinic was built near her church. The building has damages currently, but it seems like restoration is the goal. This will be a great way of continuing her legacy after completion.
If you like this post, you may enjoy reading about Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune too in my older post here.