Our guest is J.C. Hallman, who's published several works of nonfiction as well as a collection of short stories -- and who's been a recipient of fellowships from both the McKnight Foundation and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Hallman joins us to discuss his newest book, which is -- as noted by Bryan Stevenson, the founder and director of the Equal Justice Initiative -- an "extremely well-researched account of the life of an enslaved Black woman [whose biography] changes the historical narrative surrounding J. Marion Sims and engages us in a sober reckoning over the legacy of slavery, medical experimentation, and gynecology. This extraordinary book forces us to recognize that 'Anarcha' is a name we should say, remember, and reflect upon as we still contend with a history of racial injustice." And further, per Kirkus Reviews: "A staggeringly researched book that serves as an indictment of Sims' hubris and an homage to Anarcha."
"Say Anarcha: A Young Woman, a Devious Surgeon, and the Harrowing Birth of Modern Women's Health"
![Aired on Thursday, June 8th.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/70b1c66/2147483647/strip/true/crop/329x500+0+0/resize/880x1337!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5d%2F01%2F621fa7bd4e2b9a309f8ab8e5567c%2Fbookshot.jpg)