Birth Experiences at the Tufts-Delta Health Center in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, from 1965–1975

As the nation’s first rural community health center, the Delta Health Center broke new ground for healthcare delivery in the United States. Established in the majority Black town of Mound Bayou, Mississippi in 1965, the center not only had to reconcile itself to the ramifications of medical racism but also capitalize on the momentum and optimism born from the Civil Rights Movement. The center exemplified public health standards by treating both medical conditions and lifestyle factors contributing to unfavorable health outcomes, such as inadequate nutrition, unreliable housing, and unemployment. In contrast to the preexisting healthcare available to women in the region, the Delta Health Center provided reproductive and obstetric care to Black women at a standard that improved health outcomes for both mother and infant, and empowered them to take control of their reproductive care by introducing breastfeeding techniques and contraceptives. Community members’ involvement (particularly that of Black women) in disseminating care to the community made the Delta Health Center’s mission a success.