Mothers of Gynecology for The Relf Sisters Fund

In 1973 two young sisters, Minnie Lee and Mary Alice Relf, were sterilized at a
government-run clinic in Montgomery, Alabama, against their will and without the
informed consent of their parents. Though their lawsuit, Relf vs Weinberger, changed
the course of history, the Relf Family never received justice -- either an apology or
renumeration. Today, the sisters, in their 60s, live together simply and humbly in public
housing in Montgomery.

Michelle Browder, an artist and entrepreneur in Montgomery, launched the Relf Sisters
Fund to help the Relfs with the expenses they need and deserve as they await justice.
You can do your part by donating. The Fund is administered and facilitated by Faith
Crusade Ministries. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Relf Sisters.

Michelle’s monument in Montgomery, the Mothers of Gynecology, honors women like
the Relf Sisters who were harmed by medical racism.  Anarcha, Lucy & Betsey  were
enslaved women from plantations in and around Montgomery, Alabama. With neither
consent nor anesthesia, they were experimented on by Dr. J. Marion Sims in the 1840s.
After publishing the results of his "success" Sims moved to New York to seek
fame and fortune. Within a decade, he became known as the Father of Gynecology.  
By contrast, Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey fell into history. They changed the world, only
to be forgotten by it. A 15-foot public monument honors these women, tells their story,
and shines a light on ongoing racial disparities in the healthcare industry today.

For more information on the Relfs:

The New York Times Magazine: The Long Shadow of Eugenics in America 

The New York Times: The Roots of Black Pain in America

To learn more about Michelle Browder:

Smarthistory: The Mothers of Gynecology 

USA TODAY: Michelle Browder is one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year 

Bloomberg: A Monument to the Enslaved ‘Mothers of Gynecology’ Rises in Montgomery