Bettina Judd facts for kids

Bettina Judd is a talented American writer, artist, and teacher. She is known for her poetry and for exploring important topics from history.

Early Life and Education

Bettina Judd was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in Southern California. She loved learning and went to college to study English and Women's Studies. She earned her bachelor's degree from Spelman College in 2005. She then earned a master's degree in 2007 and a PhD in 2014 from the University of Maryland.

For her PhD, she wrote a special paper called a dissertation. It explored how Black women use art like poetry and music to share their thoughts and feelings. It showed that their creative work is an important part of feminist ideas.

Judd was inspired to become a poet by her family and famous writers. Her grandmother was a poet and also a mathematician for the U.S. Department of Defense. Her mother and the famous poet Maya Angelou were also big influences on her.

A Career in Arts and Education

Judd has shared her talents in many ways, from writing award-winning poetry to teaching at a university.

Poetry and Teaching

As a poet, Judd has received many honors. She was a fellow at the Cave Canem Foundation, an organization that supports African-American poets. Her poems have appeared in many magazines and books. One of her poems was even nominated for a special award called the Pushcart Prize.

Judd has also received support for her work from groups like the Five Colleges and The Vermont Studio Center. As a singer, she has performed for audiences across the United States and around the world. Today, she works as an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, where she teaches about gender and women's studies.

The Book Patient.

In 2014, Judd published her first book of poems, called Patient.. The book won the Black Lawrence Press Hudson Prize before it was even published.

What is Patient. about?

Patient. is a powerful collection of poems that looks at a difficult part of history. It explores how the medical field of gynecology (women's health) was developed in the 1800s. During that time, some doctors performed experiments on enslaved Black women without their permission. This is an example of scientific racism, which is the misuse of science to support racist ideas.

The book connects this history to the present day. Judd uses her own experiences to show how some of these old problems can still affect people. The poems also honor the memory of Black women whose stories were nearly forgotten, like Henrietta Lacks.

The Voices in the Book

The book tells its story through different voices. One voice is a modern Black woman who is a researcher. She is studying the past while also dealing with her own health challenges.

Other voices belong to the "ghosts" of real women from history. These include Anarcha Wescott, Joice Heth, Lucy Zimmerman, and Betsey Harris. These women were all experimented on by Dr. J. Marion Sims, who is often called the "father of modern gynecology." The book also gives a voice to other historical figures like Saartjie Baartman.

Judd said she wrote the book to "humanize these women." She wanted people to hear their stories and ask, "Well, what is their story?" She explained that these women were not supposed to be remembered. By writing in their voices, she helps readers connect with their experiences and understand their importance.

Sharing the Story

On February 16, 2016, Judd appeared on an NPR radio show. The show was called "Remembering Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey: The Mothers of Modern Gynecology." She read poems from Patient. and talked about the history behind her book. This helped bring the stories of these women to a wider audience.