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Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951)
Born Roanoke, Virginia
Henrietta Lacks, whose great-great-grandmother was enslaved, died of cervical cancer at age thirty-one. Upon her death, doctors discovered that cells from her body lived long lived and reproduced indefinitely in petri dishes. These "immortal" HeLa cells have since contributed to over 10,000 medical patents relating to polio, AIDS, Parkinson's disease, and other conditions.
Considering the history of medical testing on African Americans without their consent, the fate of Lacks's cells raises questions about ethics, privacy, and race. By addressing these issues forthrightly in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2010), author Rebecca Skloot prompted Oprah Winfrey and HBO to make a film on the subject.
Kadir Nelson's portrait of Lacks uses visual elements to convey her legacy. The wallpapers features the "Flower of Life," a symbol of immorality. The pattern of her dress recalls cellular structures, and the garment's missing buttons signal the absence of those cells that were taken from her body, without permission.
Kadir Nelson, 2017 |