A summary of medical practices during the period of American slavery, along with a large collection of first-hand reports from former slaves regarding their traditions of herbal doctoring. Published 2026. 652 research notes, 274 numbered pages including extensive and thorough glossary and index. Hard cover 7.25 x 10.25 inches, ISBN 979-8-244001-92-1. Soft cover 7 x 10 inches, ISBN 979-8-249631-71-0.
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In Healing During Slavery Times, author Patricia B. Mitchell presents over 200 former slaves who tell us their real-life long-ago experiences of sickness and health. Reports of herbal, medical, and pharmaceutical traditions, many now forgotten, create a document of tribute to the grit and ingenuity of the slaves, although the specific medical practices of that time may now be considered obsolete and/or dangerous. Sources include the Depression-era Federal Writers' Project Slave Narratives Collection, and numerous published and archived documents from the slavery period. The book has 274 numbered pages including glossary and index, 13 illustrations, and 652 research notes.
Patricia B. Mitchell began foodwriting in the early 1970s as a contributor to The Community Standard magazine in New Orleans. Throughout her lifetime she authored more than one hundred titles on food and lifestyle history.
A brief introductory condensation of Healing During Slavery Times is also available for purchase as a Compact Edition.
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Copyright © 2026 Patricia B. Mitchell.