The family of Henrietta Lacks and civil rights attorney Ben Crump were recognized for their landmark legal victory regarding using HeLa cells, Henrietta Lacks’ immortal cells.
They were presented with the prestigious Dr. Ronald Myers Legacy Award by the Galveston International Juneteenth Museum at Emancipation Park.
Since their discovery in 1951, Henrietta Lacks’ cells have revolutionized medical research. However, these cells were taken without her knowledge or consent, sparking a long struggle for the Lacks family to gain recognition and justice. Their unwavering determination, supported by Attorney Ben Crump’s legal expertise, brought in a historic settlement addressing the unethical use of HeLa cells.
“Henrietta Lacks were the first cells in the course of human history to be able to survive outside of the human body. Not only did they survive, but they regenerated every 24 hours and have been doing so for the last 70 years,” said Crump during the ceremony. “Every medical advancement, every vaccine, every cure has been because of her immortal HeLa cells.”
Many in our community might remember Henrietta Lacks. Back in 1951, this young mother of five from Baltimore went to Johns Hopkins Hospital for what turned out to be cervical cancer. Johns Hopkins, one of the few places that treated Black folks back then, gave Henrietta the best care available – radium treatments. During her treatment, doctors took a sample of her cells for research, something that happened to many patients.
Henrietta’s cells were unlike any others. Unlike most cells that die quickly in a lab, hers grew, doubling daily! These remarkable cells, nicknamed “HeLa” after the first two letters of her name, became a medical game-changer.
HeLa cells have been used to develop countless life-saving treatments, from the polio vaccine to medicine for COVID-19. They’ve helped scientists understand viruses and even map the human body’s blueprint, our DNA.
Here’s the problem: Henrietta and her family had no idea their cells were being used, let alone how valuable they were. They never got a say in it. This lack of consent and recognition sparked a long fight for justice.
That’s where attorney Ben Crump comes in. Mr. Crump, known for fighting for the rights of minorities, took on the Lacks family’s case. Their legal victory helped ensure informed consent and fairer practices around using people’s cells in research.
“The fight for absolute equality continues,” said Galveston International Juneteenth Museum board member and historian Samuel Collins III in a statement. “The persistence of the Henrietta Lacks Family, and the work of Attorney Ben Crump’s legal team to fight for genetic justice embodies the legacy of Dr. Ronald Myers.”
