My Bag Was Always Packed: The Life and Times of a Virginia Midwife
Claudine Curry Smith was born in Baltimore MD and has lived  in the Kilmarnock VA area since she was three months old. As a retired midwife,  she has many memories of her thirty one years of practice in two rural counties,  as well as of her extensive job experiences in other roles throughout much of  the twentieth century. Five of her own seven children were delivered by a midwife,  giving her an additional personal perspective on the midwifery experience. At  84 years of age, she is the last living midwife licensed (although retired)  to practice in the Lower Northern Neck of Virginia. Mildred HB Roberson was also born in Baltimore MD, where she  grew up. She has had a home in Lancaster County VA for over 25 years. She is  a retired nursing professor, with 40 years combined nursing education, service  and administrative experience. She is a researcher/scholar of Southern African  American health culture with 25 professional publications. Currently she is  co-editing a community health nursing textbook (in progress). The authors have  been friends for more than 20 years.