In recent years, there has been a shift in identity in the Missouri Ozarks. People who once considered themselves “white” now claim minority status. However, “race” has always been a contentious issue in this region. In this former slave-holding region, even particular burial grounds are still labeled, “colored.” Even in death, the concept of “race” is still a reality. This dissertation will examine the political realities of “race” as revealed in the medical records of deceased community members, and compared to the current political wrangling of present members of the community to obtain free and/or affordable healthcare for their families. Why did “white” community members begin organizing as minorities in the 1970s? How did (and does) “race” affect medical treatment? What diseases were most prevalent among African-Americans, Euro-Americans, and Native Americans in the region, and why? How do these data compare to similar populations living in urban areas?

Dissertation Committee
Chair: Robert Corruccini, PhD
Susan Ford, PhD
Jane Adams, PhD
Roberto Barrios, PhD
Jan Thompson, MA

Other areas of interest include:
Ethnobotany, especially in the St. Francois Mountains in the Northeastern Missouri Ozarks
Turkey