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AJR170
ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION
No. 170
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MAY 4, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
���� Designating September 24 of each year as �Mothers of
Gynecology Day� in NJ.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
A Joint
Resolution
designating September 24 of each
year as �Mothers of Gynecology Day� in New Jersey.
W
HEREAS
,
Anarcha, Lucy, and
Betsey, historically recognized as the Mothers of Gynecology for their role in
the development of surgical techniques foundational to the field, were Black
enslaved women in Montgomery, Alabama, whose bodies were subjected to repeated
experimental surgical procedures in the 1840s without consent or anesthesia
during research conducted by Dr. J. Marion Sims; and
W
HEREAS
,
Anarcha, Lucy, and
Betsey lived and worked on plantations near Montgomery in the 1840s. �Following
childbirth, each developed a medical condition that resulted in loss of bladder
and bowel control; and
W
HEREAS
,
Enslaved women with this
condition were often separated from other workers. �At the time, there was no
established cure, and Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey were informed that they would
likely live with the condition on a long-term basis; and
W
HEREAS
,
The men who enslaved
Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey expressed concern about their condition, as it
affected the women�s ability to perform labor on their plantations. �In 1844,
the enslavers sought medical advice from Dr. J. Marion Sims regarding possible
treatment options; and
W
HEREAS
,
Dr. J. Marion Sims
experimented on a total of 12 women, but only Anarcha, Betsy, and Lucy were
named in his published reports; and
W
HEREAS
,
In the summer of 1849, Dr.
J. Marion Sims performed what he recorded as Anarcha�s thirtieth operation,
incorporating surgical tools and techniques he had developed over the previous
four years. �The procedure was reported as successful; and
W
HEREAS
,
In 1852, Dr. J. Marion
Sims published an article describing his surgical method. �The publication did
not identify the women on who he had operated as enslaved, but the article did reference
the extent of his authority over their care; and
W
HEREAS
,
Dr. J. Marion Sims�s surgical
work and subsequent publication played a significant role in advancing
gynecologic surgery and contributed to his later recognition as the father of
modern gynecology; and
W
HEREAS
,
Anarcha, Lucy, Betsey,
and the other unnamed women who underwent these procedures are increasingly
recognized for their role in the development of modern gynecology, as the
surgical techniques attributed to Dr. J. Marion Sims were developed through
operations performed on their bodies; and
W
HEREAS
,
The contributions that
Anarcha, Lucy, Betsey, and other unnamed women made under conditions of
oppression have been overlooked for generations, yet their experiences underlie
foundational developments in obstetrics and gynecology; and
W
HEREAS
,
The Mothers of
Gynecology Monument: Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey in Montgomery, Alabama, and other
commemorations reclaim these women�s stories as part of the historical record
and honor their courage, resilience, and humanity; and
W
HEREAS
,
Major professional
organizations in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, including the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and allied health groups, formally
recognize February 28 and March 1 as days to honor Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey
and to reflect on the legacy of systemic racism in medical practice; and
W
HEREAS
,
It is fitting to
recognize and honor the life-changing contributions of Anarcha, Lucy, and
Betsey to the advancement of gynecology; and
W
HEREAS
,
Acknowledging their role
in the development of surgical techniques foundational to the field provides an
opportunity for individuals and institutions to promote inclusive, culturally
informed, and equitable care for all patients, and to reaffirm commitments to
justice, respect, and human dignity in women�s health and beyond; now,
therefore,
����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1. �September 24 of each year
is designated as �Mothers of Gynecology Day� in the State of New Jersey in
order to recognize and honor Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey for their foundational
contributions to the development of gynecology, and to acknowledge their enduring
impact on women�s health and medical history.
���� 2. �The Governor is
respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation recognizing September
24 of each year as �Mothers of Gynecology Day� in New Jersey, and calling upon
public officials and the citizens of this State to observe the day with
appropriate activities and programs.
���� 3. �This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This joint resolution
designates September 24 of each year as �Mothers of Gynecology Day.�� Anarcha,
Lucy, and Betsey, historically recognized as the Mothers of Gynecology for
their role in the development of surgical techniques foundational to the field,
were Black enslaved women in Montgomery, Alabama, whose bodies were subjected
to repeated experimental surgical procedures in the 1840s without consent or
anesthesia during research conducted by Dr. J. Marion Sims.� Dr. J. Marion Sims
experimented on a total of 12 women, but only Anarcha, Betsy, and Lucy were
named in his published reports.
���� The contributions that
Anarcha, Lucy, Betsey, and other unnamed women made under conditions of
oppression have been overlooked for generations, yet their experiences underlie
foundational developments in obstetrics and gynecology.
���� It is fitting to recognize and
honor the life-changing contributions of Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey to the
advancement of gynecology by designating September 24 of each year as �Mothers
of Gynecology Day� in the State.