Hommel, Flora, 1928-2015

Flora Hommel Papers

drice — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:59:57 -0400

Flora Suhd Hommel was one of the pioneers who brought the Lamaze
psychoprophylactic method of painless childbirth to the United States, establishing an
important teaching organization in Detroit, the Childbirth Without Pain Education
Association (CWPEA). She championed the rights of women to control childbirth,
creating a grass-roots movement contemporaneous with the women’s movement of the
1960s-1970s. Hommel and the CWPEA were important catalysts in establishing similar childbirth and parenting organizations and teacher-monitrice accreditation programs across the United States.

Hommel's papers reflect her career working with the Lamaze method. Most of the
collection is comprised of CWPEA documents and correspondence from its
establishment through the 1990s-- records of events, classes and projects, including the
birthing center and the making of an American version of the well-respected French
childbirth film “Naissance.” Of particular interest may be the many birth reports—
extensive narrations of the birth experiences of CWPEA students. There is substantial
overlap between correspondence in Hommel’s personal papers and the CWPEA
correspondence. A sampling of newsletters and documents from national childbirth and
parenting organizations is included in the papers. Several boxes of ICEA materials and a
small amount of ASPO materials are located in Series III.

Event Announcement: "Flora Hommel: A Labor of Love"

Public Relations Team — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 10:15:04 -0400

On Thursday, July 30, celebrate the life and works of Detroiter and Lamaze childbirth method pioneer Flora Hommel through her collection at the Reuther Library. Join us for an opportunity to learn more about the late Flora Hommel and her collection at the Reuther Library through a display and discussion featuring local historians, Hommel’s family, and others associated with the Lamaze childbirth method. read more »

In Memoriam: Flora Hommel, 1928-2015

aergas — Thu, 21 May 2015 17:18:46 -0400

The Reuther Library notes with sorrow the passing on May 15 of Flora Suhd Hommel.

Hommel was one of the pioneers who brought the Lamaze psychoprophylactic method of painless childbirth to the United States, establishing an important teaching organization in Detroit, the Childbirth Without Pain Education Association (CWPEA). She championed the rights of women to control childbirth, creating a grass-roots movement contemporaneous with the women’s movement of the 1960s-1970s. Hommel and the CWPEA were important catalysts in establishing similar childbirth and parenting organizations and teacher-monitrice accreditation programs across the United States. read more »

Jack White, Flora Hommel, Coleman Young

Public Relations Team — Fri, 22 May 2015 12:47:53 -0400

From left to right: Jack White (Teamsters leader), Flora Hommel, Coleman Young.