Former Dir. of National Library of Medicine to Speak about Native American Health at University of Maryland Health and Human Services Library at the University of Maryland, Baltimore on May 4
Donald Lindberg, MD, former director of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) will speak about Native American health in conjunction with the traveling exhibition Native Voices: Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness. The exhibit, located in the Weise Gallery on the main floor of the Health and Human Services Library on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), explores the connection between wellness, illness and cultural life among Native Americans. The exhibit features interviews, artwork, objects, and interactive media.
“This exhibition honors the Native tradition of oral history and establishes a unique collection of information,” saidLindberg, who retired in 2015 from the National Library of Medicine after more than 30 years. “We hope visitors will find Native Voices both educational and inspirational, and we hope Native people will view it with pride.”
The talk will take place on May 4 at 11:30am in the Gladhill Board Room on the 5th floor of the Health and Human Services Library, 601 West Lombard Street. The public is welcome at no charge but must RSVP to NativeVoices1@hshsl.umaryland.eduor (410) 706-7545.
Through his talk, ““Understanding Health And Illness Is Not Information Retrieval,” Lindberg will discuss the concept for the Native Voices exhibition and the process for gathering information and engaging with native healers.
Native Voices examines concepts of health and medicine among contemporary American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. The traveling exhibit features interviews and works from Native people living on reservations, in tribal villages, and in cities. Topics include: Native views of land, food, community, earth/nature, and spirituality as they relate to Native health; the relationship between traditional healing and Western medicine in Native communities; economic and cultural issues that affect the health of Native communities; efforts by Native communities to improve health conditions; and the role of Native Americans in military service and healing support for returning Native veterans.
The entire Native Voices exhibit, which is also open to the public at no charge, runs until May 22.
Native Voices can also be viewed online: www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices.