All My Babies Rediscovered

A man finds a film about his grandmother - a rural midwife in Georgia - from 1953. It transforms him and gives him a proud history to call his own.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• midwife
• midwifery
• AfricanAmerican
• Georgia
• George Stoney
• Bernard
• Coley
• Mary
• All My Babies

[vicstar]

Wonderful! Little do people know just how safe those babies were in the hands of the midwives and coming into the world at home. Midwives all over the world are working for a return of midwives as the guardians of normal birth...I would love see the film in its entirety and would love to meet you and your family next time I am in the States!! Congratulations!! Vicki Chan. Midwife. Australia.

[Cosmicstring]

The original film, "All My Babies" and a wonderful commentary by the 91 year old filmmaker just came out this month on DVD and is also available on Netflicks.

You can read more about the story on my blog at blogger, under the post title: "George Stoney Delivers Miss Mary Coley."

I'm thinking about creating a web site that would enable people to share stories about midwives past and present. Let me know if you'd be able to tell midwives and others to contribute stories.

[grangersmith]

@grangersmith This family has a lot to be proud of. Their matriarch was a true hero, humanitarian, a saint, and no one knew, she didn't toot her own horn brag or showboat about what a good person she truly was because she was the real thing. I could tell watching this documentary that this woman was wise and very good and strong, the documentary brought tears to my eyes because of the sincerity, and love in this woman and also because of what we have lost our society in general..

[grangersmith]

The education needed to be a legal mid-wife is close to what you need to be a doctor in this state. The requirements, time and costs are staggering and hoops that keep loving capable very competent people from being licensed midwives. I wonder why this is? Interesting huh? This documentary was wonderful, the birth peaceful this is normal. Hospital birth is not, doctors look at you like a specimen an object it's dangerous to even go to them now a days! Seriously ;(

[JuciShockwave]

I would rather have a midwife than some strange male doctor who only cares for is the paycheck. Another "must see" documentary is "The Business of Being Born". Both are great for in class debate (high school level of course) on home vs hospital delivery. People must keep in mind USA has the second largest infant mortality rate of any industrialized nation and has a higher infant mortality rate than most second world nations. O_O So midwives give mothers more control.

[Sadiku11]

I have documentation from the Georgia State Archives that shows that I located this movie, me, her Grandson. You are a liar Bernard. You didn't find this movie and I resent the claim that you were "surfacing the internet" and found this movie, because the movie wasn't on the internet yet when I located it in the Georgia state archives. What you have done is morally reprehensible and unconsciounable. I despise you for what you have done - lied.

[justkeesha]

OMG!! This is so great. Thank you so very much for sharing. We need to keep the legacy and history of the black midwives alive.