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African American Folk Medicine

In the early days of African-American history and culture, medicine was often developed from traditions brought over from Africa. The knowledge of the uses of different plants to create healing balms, salves, and teas were often the only medication enslaved people had access to.  These medicines kept them healthy or brought them back to health in times of illness.  Many of these traditions remain in use today in both homeopathic medicine and traditional western medicine.  Recorded on location at the Blanchard House in Punta Gorda, Host Joy Murphy- Curator of Education is joined by Dr. Martha Bireda – Director of the Blanchard House and Jaha Cumming – Punta Gorda City Commissioner to discuss traditional African/African-American folk medicine.