By virtue of its geography, Wilmington was a space of shared medicinal plant knowledge from Native Americans, Europeans, Africans and Caribbean peoples. Victorian era locals grew these plants at home until the practice was challenged by the rise of professionalized medicine in the late 1800s. We examine the spread of medicinal plant information, how these plants were used, and the ways in which contemporary ideas about modernity affected healing practices in the region.
Ginger R. Davis was a history professor for more than 25 years and is now semi-retired from academia. A Fulbright awardee, she taught at Vietnam National University before returning to her home state, where she taught at Duke University and Norwich University and became involved in local historic preservation efforts.
Login/Create account
