Ionia Rollin Whipper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ionia Rollin Whipper
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| Born | September 8, 1872 Beaufort, South Carolina, U.S.
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| Died | April 13, 1953 (aged 80) New York City, U.S.
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| Education | Doctor of Medicine |
| Alma mater | Howard University |
| Parent(s) | William James Whipper, Frances Anne Rollin Whipper |
| Relatives | William Whipper (paternal great uncle), Leigh Whipper (brother) |
Ionia Rollin Whipper (1872–1953) was an American doctor who specialized in helping pregnant women and delivering babies. She also worked to improve public health. Dr. Whipper graduated from Howard University School of Medicine in 1903. She was one of only a few African-American women doctors of her time.
In the mid-1920s, she worked for the United States Children's Bureau. Her job was to travel through the rural Southern states. She taught midwives how to deliver babies safely and how to register births. At a time when homes for young mothers were only for white women, Dr. Whipper opened her own home to help young mothers of color. Later, she started a special home for this important work, which is still named after her today.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ionia Whipper's parents came from African-American families who were free before the Civil War. Her father, William James Whipper, was a lawyer. He moved to South Carolina after the Civil War. He became one of the first black judges during the Reconstruction Era in South Carolina. This was a time when the Southern states were being rebuilt after the war.
In Beaufort, South Carolina, he married Frances Anne Rollin. They had five children, and Ionia was their third child. In the 1880s, her parents separated. Her mother, Frances, moved with her children to Washington, D.C.. Ionia grew up there among a successful black middle-class community.
Ionia Rollin Whipper went to Howard University School of Medicine. She graduated in 1903. She was one of only four women in her graduating class.
Professional Work
Ionia's mother passed away before Ionia finished medical school. To pay for her education, Ionia borrowed money and worked as a teacher. In 1911, she opened her own private doctor's office. She only treated female patients there. Dr. Whipper also raised her brother Leigh Whipper's daughter, Leighla Whipper. Leighla later became a songwriter and music publisher.
Between 1921 and 1929, Dr. Whipper worked for the United States Children's Bureau. They hired her to travel through the rural South. She taught midwives how to deliver babies safely and care for new mothers. When she returned to Washington, D.C., she joined the staff at the maternity department of Freedmen's Hospital.
Helping Young Mothers
Dr. Whipper often treated young mothers who needed extra support. She started offering some of these young women a room in her own home. In 1931, she and seven other women from St. Luke's AME Church started a charity group. They called it the Lend-A-Hand Club. This club raised money to help young African-American mothers.
In 1931, with the club's help, Dr. Whipper bought some land in Washington, D.C.. It was about 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) (about 1.4 hectares). There, she opened the Ionia R. Whipper Home for Unwed Mothers. This home helped young women no matter their race. Dr. Whipper continued to run the home until the early 1950s. Until the 1960s, it was the only maternity home in the city that accepted young African-American women. Other similar homes were only for white women until then. The home moved to a new location in 1955 and is still helping young mothers today.
Later Life
In her later years, Dr. Whipper moved to New York. She lived with relatives in Saratoga Springs and in New York City. She passed away at Harlem Hospital on April 13, 1953. She is buried at Fresh Pond Crematory.
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Dr. Ionia Rollin Whipper
