51 pages • 1 hour read
Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present
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Book Brief
528
Book • Nonfiction
United States • 17th-21st centuries
2007
Adult
18+ years
1400L
Super Short Summary
Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington uncovers the extensive history of unethical medical experimentation on African Americans from colonial times to the present, highlighting cases such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and the exploitation of slaves and prisoners for medical advancements. Washington aims to bridge the health disparity between African Americans and white Americans by revealing these abuses and promoting ethical medical practices. This book discusses medical discrimination, coercion, and non-consensual experimentation.
Informative
Dark
Unnerving
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
15,399 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington is widely praised for its thorough research and compelling narrative on the history of medical exploitation of African Americans. Reviewers commend its depth and rigor but note its disturbing content and dense academic style. Despite being challenging, it is considered essential for understanding racial disparities in healthcare.
Who Should Read Medical Apartheid?
Readers interested in Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington tend to be those intrigued by the intersections of medical history, ethics, and racial justice. Similar audiences have appreciated Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow.
15,399 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
James Marion Sims
James Marion Sims
A 19th-century doctor known for his significant contributions to gynecology, whose legacy is complicated by his unethical medical practices on enslaved women without anesthesia.
Eunice Rivers
Eunice Rivers
A Black nurse who served as a liaison in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, tasked with maintaining contact with the study participants over many years.
Margaret Sanger
Margaret Sanger
A leading figure in the birth control movement whose eugenic beliefs included controversial ideas about managing the reproduction of African Americans.
Saartje Baartman
Saartje Baartman
A South African Khoi woman who was displayed in 19th-century Europe as a human curiosity, with her anatomy scrutinized by scientists both during her life and posthumously.
528
Book • Nonfiction
United States • 17th-21st centuries
2007
Adult
18+ years
1400L
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