Lovie Beard Shelton was a pioneer in her field. As the first registered nurse-midwife in North Carolina, she helped birth more than 4,000 babies born to mothers from diverse backgrounds.
Folklorist Lisa Yarger first met Beard Shelton in 1996 and spent the following 20 years documenting her life. “Lovie: The Story of a Southern Midwife and an Unlikely Friendship” (UNC Press/2016) is the culmination of that journey.
Host Frank Stasio speaks with Yarger about her book and her relationship with Lovie Beard Shelton.
Yarger reads from her book on Thursday, March 2 at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh; Saturday, March 4 at Page 158 Books in Wake Forest; and later in the month in other cities around the state, including Wilmington and Asheville.
