Eleanor B. Easley Papers, 1910-2004

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Summary

Creator:
Easley, Eleanor B., 1907-1998
Abstract:
Contains the personal and professional papers of Dr. Eleanor Beamer Easley, MD (1907-1998), a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology who practiced in Durham, North Carolina. Easley was the first female graduate of Duke University School of Medicine's first four-year class. In 1941, Easley helped co-found the Durham Women's Clinic. Types of materials include notes from talks and presentations, writings, meeting minutes, agendas, articles, reports, photographs, correspondence, memberships, degrees, awards, and clippings. Major subjects include Durham, North Carolina; nursing; obstetrics and gynecology; women physicians; women's health; and Watts Hospital. Materials range in date from 1910 to 2004.
Extent:
2 Linear Feet (2 manuscript boxes, 2 flat boxes)
Language:
English
Collection ID:
MC.0061

Background

Scope and content:

Contains the personal and professional papers of Dr. Eleanor B. Easley, MD. Types of materials include notes from talks and presentations, writings, meeting minutes, agendas, articles, reports, photographs, correspondence, memberships, degrees, awards, and clippings. Major subjects include Durham, North Carolina; nursing; obstetrics and gynecology; women physicians; women's health; and Watts Hospital. Materials range in date from 1910 to 2004.

Biographical / historical:

Eleanor Beamer Easley, MD, was born in 1907 to Mae Celestine Van Auken and James Daniel Beamer. She received her AB degree from University of Idaho in 1928 and a MA from Iowa in 1929. In 1934, she became the first woman to graduate from Duke University School of Medicine's first four-year class. In 1941, Easley and Dr. Richard Pearse co-founded the Durham Women's Clinic, with the goal of improving women's health care. Easley was also a member of Duke University house staff and an associate in obstetrics and gynecology.

Easley was a pioneer in the use of anesthesiology for labor and delivery, education about birth control, early detection of breast cancer, preparation for childbirth, and counseling for sexual problems. Additionally, she promoted the use of the upright position for women in labor in certain difficult births and advocated for nurse-midwives in prenatal care and delivery.

At the Durham Women's Clinic, and in the face of gendered skepticism, Easley proved herself a shrewd businesswoman, an excellent physician, and a leader in her field. She was a fierce advocate for the legalization of abortion, as she had seen firsthand the consequences of illegal abortion; moreover, she understood the importance of socioeconomic factors in a woman's decision to terminate a pregnancy. Easley believed that women deserved autonomy over their bodies, and, to this end, she delivered talks around Durham, communicated with state representatives, and participated in legislative hearings to fight for safe, nondiscriminatory, legal abortions. Easley was adamant that women deserve a voice in decisions concerning their health, wellbeing, and livelihood. Yet, Easley also believed that abortion was not a satisfactory substitute for contraception and comprehensive sex education. She advocated the importance of contraception in preventing unintended pregnancies and of open dialogue in promoting safe sexual practices, viewing such tools as important opportunities in preventive medicine.

Throughout her career, Easley wrote and gave presentations about women's health and women working and living in a male-dominated culture. She was especially active giving presentations in the 1960s and 1970s. These presentations often discussed how economic, social, and psychological factors could affect health. A trailblazer in obstetrics and gynecology, Easley dedicated herself to patient care and health equity, tirelessly advocating for women throughout her career.

Outside of her work in the clinic, Easley was the first female president of the North Carolina Obstetrics and Gynecology Society. She also stayed active in medical politics through involvement with organizations like the North Carolina Medical Society.

In 1928, Easley married Howard Easley. Easley died in 1998.

Acquisition information:
Source unknown, Accession A2020.008 (gift by Betsy Baten, January 2020), Accession A2024.013 (gift by Betsy Baten, February 2024), Accession A2024.019 (gift by Betsy Baten, March 2024)
Processing information:

Processed by Emily Glenn: May 2006; encoded by Emily Glenn: May 2006; updated by Lucy Waldrop: January 2020; reprocessed by Lucy Waldrop February 2024, March 2024

Arrangement:
Organized into the following series: Personal/Biographical, 1910-2004; Correspondence, 1945-1996; Writings and Presentations, 1944-1983; Professional Papers, 1944-1983; Memberships and Affiliations, 1928-2000.
Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Duke University Medical Center Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
DACS

Contents

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Restrictions:

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals or IRB approval may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which Duke University assumes no responsibility.

Box 1 must be screened for sensitive or confidential materials before being accessed. For further information consult with the Medical Center Archivist.

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Eleanor B. Easley Papers, Duke University Medical Center Archives.