ABSTRACT
Using Patricia Hill Collins's conceptualization of the “outsider-within,” this chapter documents the journey of midwife-activist Jennie Joseph as she successfully challenged Florida legislation outlawing midwifery. It illustrates how Jennie built alliances with other women in order to fight for marginalized women and their children in Florida. The chapter describes how her personal and professional experiences, despite their challenges, fomented the JJ Way and reinforced her dedication to addressing the birth needs of underserved populations in Florida. It argues that Jennie's work exemplifies the role of midwife activists who actively combat the medicalization of birth and demonstrates why midwifery care is beneficial for women of color. During the early twentieth century, southern lay Black midwives in the United States fought and lost the battle to practice midwifery.
