(Media release from the Georgia Archives):
The Georgia Archives Lunch and Learn presentation, “Black Angels: The Last Granny Midwives of Carroll County Georgia,” by Ruby J. Manley, will be held onsite. The presentation is on Friday, August 11, 2023, from noon to 1:00 p.m. at the Georgia Archives, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Ga.
The Lunch and Learn presentation is free, and no registration is required.
Ruby J. Manley will discuss the historical context surrounding maternal and infant healthcare in the Southern region during the early twentieth century, highlighting the prevailing reliance on Granny Midwives as the primary care providers for African American and economically disadvantaged white women in Georgia and the broader Southern states.
Ruby J. Manley was born in Carrollton, Georgia. She is completing research on Granny Midwives and Maternal Healthcare in Georgia. During the late 1960s, she was among the first African American students to attend The University of West Georgia, formerly West Georgia College. Ms. Manley embraced a thirty-year career with the Georgia State government, where she was employed by the Fulton County Department of Family and Children Services. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Urban Studies, a Bachelor’s of Social Work Degree, and a Master’s Degree in African American Studies. She is a doctoral candidate scheduled to graduate in the spring of 2024 with a Ph.D. in History. Ms. Manley currently teaches African American History at Georgia State University.
