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This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Jean Spaulding on October 3, 2006 by Jessica Roseberry as part of the Women in Duke Medicine Oral History Exhibit.
Duration: 01:18:01
Spaulding discusses her family background; growing up in Michigan; the diverse community in Michigan; coming to the South; negative and prejudiced treatment in the South as an African-American; the lack of recognition of the Vietnam War in Duke Medical School; negative treatment from some in the medical school; the medical school not being affected by the undergraduate protests and takeovers taking place at the Allen Building due to racial issues; the segregation of donors' blood along racial lines; being the only African-American in Duke Medical School; negative statements made about her scholarship in her admissions interview because she was a woman; the prejudice of some of the professors at Duke Medical School; cross burning on her front lawn; her determination to stay and exercise her civil rights; her closeness with the other five women in the class; the attractiveness of psychiatry to her; the trust relationship between patients and doctors in psychiatry; Mary Ann Black; Dr. Spaulding and Ms. Black as the only African-Americans at the Child Guidance Clinic; the close relationship with Ms. Black; the Community Child Guidance Clinic; the atmosphere of the Duke Department of Psychiatry; Dr. Ewald Busse; Dr. H. Keith H. Brodie; the open nature of those at the Child Guidance Clinic; the joys of raising a family at same time as education and career; her pregnancy during medical school; taking time off to raise her first daughter; threats of the removal of her scholarship due to time off; the rescinding of threats when legal recourses were mentioned; the Biddle Foundation Scholarship; the opportunity to chair the Community Psychiatry Division; the decision to open a private practice instead; the predominance of female clientele in her practice; the particular stresses of that population to do everything; her own perspective as a person who accomplished many things simultaneously; balance in her life; her participation in the Women's Council for Duke; assisting Dr. Snyderman in developing the health system; the board of trustees of the Duke Endowment; what the presidential search committee saw in Dr. Nannerl Keohane; Duke's acquisition of Durham Regional Hospital; communication with Mary Ann Black at the time; Duke's relationship with the larger community; the view of Duke by some segments of African-Americans in the Durham community; Mary Semans; women and African-Americans whose names should be mentioned; Promising Practices; the development of initiatives for women at Duke Health System; females in positions of high leadership at Duke; Dr. Ralph Snyderman; role as trustee of Duke Endowment; her mother-in law, Elna Spaulding; her father-in-law, Asa Spaulding; and her daughters. The transcription of this interview was made possible by a grant from the Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation. Includes 2 master CDs, 2 use CDs, and 1 transcript.