Henrietta Lacks Racism

Each ethnicity makes everyone around the world unique from one another, and there is some that can handle the differences and others who can’t. Due to this mindset, racism was a major problem back in the day and brought a major conflict between different races. Racism is a prejudice, discrimination or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. In the book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” by Rebecca Skloot, the book mainly focused on cells and from it’s original owner, however race was involved throughout the book. Henretta was alive around the time blacks and whites couldn’t seem to get along and when discrimination was a major conflict. Around this era blacks were treated …show more content…
Blacks wouldn’t question their doctors when they were told something was wrong because they thought doctors knew best. In the book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” it says “Especially black patients in public wards. This was 1951 in Baltimore, segregation was a law and it was understood that black people didn’t question white people’s professional judgement. Many blacks patients were just too glad to be getting treatment since discrimination is hospital was widespread.” Not only was this true but back then blacks didn’t have any background knowledge on anything, so what other choice did blacks have except trusting white doctors and their resource . Blacks weren’t well educated like white folks, but there was a reason behind this. In an article called “Beginnings of Black Education.” it says, “Many whites did not want blacks to become educated, fearing they would challenge white supremacy and not be content with jobs working in the fields…” This is why blacks aren’t quick to question white doctors, they know white people has more knowledge than a black person does and would do anything they could to get their health in a better condition instead of questioning them on something they have no idea of. Lack of education is an example of race that was going on at the time because there …show more content…
However in this case, race plays a dramatic part in person’s life. No matter what someone’s race he/she could be, there are different treatments for different race. In the past, racism was a visible conflict but now in days people tend to be more on the secretive side depending on the person. Blacks weren’t well educated back in the day so they believed anything that was being told by a white doctor so in other words they were well manipulated and couldn’t do a single thing about it. As blacks were being used they couldn’t fight back and they were always look down upon others. It’s unfortunate how the world works, but now you have minorities go into the medical field in order to educate themselves and help amongst each