When Gertrude graduated from nursing school she looked forward to a long, rewarding, and happy career taking care of others who needed her help. Instead, what should have been a minor accident put her in conflict with her employer's Worker's Compensation policy, and she did not get the care she needed. The doctors and lawyers she trusted chose to take the part of her employers, and the sub-standard care she was given escalated and compounded the original problem which has now dragged on for a weary eleven years and is still not resolved. Gertrude is Black, and she believes that her problems stem from a pervasive culture of continuing racism in the South. This is only made worse by the White control of the levers of power. Jim Crow is alive and well in South Carolina. When a Black is mistreated it is almost impossible to fight back, but Gertrude intends that, at least, her story is made public. 

About the Author

 Gertrude Shiver is a native of Gadsden, South Carolina, and her roots in the community run deep. She remembers her mother's stories of her great-grandmother, who was born into slavery. She trained as a nurse but has since been forced to become a Health Information Specialist. Her strong faith leads her on. She loves traveling, reading, and listening to music. Her hobbies are anthropology and collecting old coins.