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A snowstorm, a noisy house full of pets, and then a hard turn into a story that still shakes the walls of medicine and justice: Ruby McCollum. We walk through Ruby’s path from a disciplined childhood in segregated Florida to a marriage that brought visibility and risk through the Bolita economy. When a respected physician blurred professional lines and used social power to control her body, Ruby learned to live in two worlds—outward composure and private calculation. Years later, a single moment in a doctor’s office revealed the truth no one with power wanted to face.

Stick around for a listener medical mishap that adds levity without losing sight of the stakes. If this story moved you, share it with a friend, follow the show, and leave a review—your support helps more people find conversations that challenge power and champion dignity.

Sources:

1. Thompson-Miller, Ruth. “The Trial of Ruby McCollum: The Consequences of Trauma: Segregation Stress Syndrome.” Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education 7, no. 7 (2017): Article.
   • Link: OMICS / Open Access Journal Omics Online Publishing
2. Lynn, Denise. “Silencing Black Women in the White Courtroom: The Case of Ruby McCollum.” African American Intellectual History Society (AAIHS), February 6, 2019.
   • Link: AAIHS article AAIHS
3. Adekunle, Toluwani E. “Reproductive Coercion, Medical Mistrust, and Black Women’s Health from the Antebellum Period to the 21st Century.” International Journal for Equity in Health 24 (2025).
   • Link: PubMed / NIH PMC

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