Maude Callen: Legendary Nurse-Midwife of South Carolina with Author Lindsay Street

Books Available: Main Street Reads is the official bookseller for this event. Copies of Maude Callen: Legendary Nurse-Midwife of South Carolina will be available for purchase, and attendees will have the opportunity to have their books signed following the presentation.

Join us at the Timrod Library for an inspiring evening as award-winning journalist and Lowcountry author Lindsay Street shares the remarkable story of Maude Callen, South Carolina’s pioneering Black nurse-midwife whose extraordinary service transformed healthcare in the rural South.

From 1923 to 1990, Maude Callen traveled the backroads of Berkeley County and beyond, often by mule-drawn wagon, providing life-saving medical care to families with little or no access to healthcare. Her dedication, compassion, and perseverance touched thousands of lives. In 1951, her work was brought to national attention through a powerful Life magazine photo essay by renowned photographer W. Eugene Smith, inspiring an outpouring of support and cementing her place in South Carolina history.

Drawing on extensive research, rare archival materials, and Callen’s own words, Lindsay Street brings this extraordinary woman to life in a compelling biography that celebrates courage, service, and the power of one person to make a lasting difference.

Perfect for readers interested in South Carolina history, Black history, women’s history, medicine, and inspiring true stories.

Lindsay Street is a longtime journalist whose reporting has appeared throughout the Lowcountry, including Charleston, Beaufort, Dorchester, and Berkeley Counties. A mother and homesteader, she lives in Berkeley County with her husband, Henry, and their two children. Learn more about her work at gatheringplace.substack.com.

Tickets: $15 general admission | $10 for Timrod Library members HERE