AAHN Keynote Speaker
Molly Ladd-Taylor
“Nurses, Mothers & Others: Baby-Saving and its Legacy in American History.”
In the United States today, maternal and infant death rates are higher than in other high-income countries, and there are shameful regional and racial disparities. In the early 20th century, distressingly high infant and maternal mortality led to a nationwide “baby-saving” movement and the first federal social welfare measure, the 1921 Sheppard-Towner Act, administered by the women-led Children’s Bureau. Although maternal and infant health reform generated a lot of scholarship thirty years ago, it has largely fallen off the radar of nursing and gender historians, and the campaign for “better babies” is now often seen as motivated mainly by eugenics. This lecture will focus on four aspects of the Children’s Bureau baby-saving campaign -- prenatal and infant care, eugenics, state-building, and the active role of mothers and nurses – to revisit my own research and explore baby-saving’s legacy in politics, scholarship, and policy.
Niagara Falls Excursion (Optional Add-On)
While you’re in nearby Buffalo, take the opportunity to visit Niagara Falls! A chartered bus will depart from the conference hotel (Hyatt) at 1:00 pm on Sunday, June 7, for a self-guided, two-hour visit to the Falls. The bus will return to the Hyatt between 4:00 and 5:00 pm. Travel time is approximately 25 minutes each way.
Cost: $50 per person
How to join: Select the Niagara Falls Excursion option when registering for the meeting.
Conference Hotel
The annual meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo located at 2 Fountain Plaza, Buffalo, NY 14202.
The AAHM + AAHN room rate at the Hyatt is $159 per night plus taxes.
The cut-off date for reservations at this rate is May 6, 2026.
Hotel parking is currently priced at $25.00 per night for self-parking and $29.50 per night for valet parking.
You can book your room at the group rate by clicking here or by calling (716) 856-1234.
Travel to Buffalo
Buffalo is served by many major airlines. The Buffalo Niagara International Airport (4200 Genesee St) is approximately 15 minutes from the Hyatt Regency Buffalo.
Amtrak runs regular service to Buffalo from New York City, Boston, and Chicago. If you travel by Amtrak, choose the Exchange Street Station, which is about 8 blocks from the Hyatt hotel.
Ground transportation options from the airport or the train station include Uber and Lyft. If you prefer to use public transit, the Metro line directly connects the train station and the Hyatt; information about travel from the airport can be found here.
