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tions from the federal government and a pledge for lifelong medical treatment. In 1997, President Bill Clinton on be- half of the federal government, formally apologized to the victims of the experi- ment and their families.
Let us be clear that the Tuskegee ex- periment was done with the conscious collaboration of the Tuskegee Insti- tute, a historically Black college. Thus, this was another disgraceful example of some Black people not being the keep- ers of their brothers and sisters. But that American story starts with some African slave traders booking travel on the Mid- dle Passage for their own people to the current Black-on-Black carnage we wit- ness today in the bloodstained streets of our cities.
Although I believe in some holistic health regimens, I also have some trust in western medicine. Of course, rigorous skepticism is part of the scientific meth- od and it should always be employed. However, it is exceedingly dangerous when skepticism in our community be- comes so intransigent and intellectual- ly slipshod that some of our leaders and activists encourage people not to do the things that can save their lives and that of their neighbors. This type of ill-in- formed advocacy is a contributing factor to why most African Americans do not donate blood or are organ donors. Our beloved Marion Barry’s life was extend- ed because an African American wom- an donated her kidney. The success of organ transplantation is due to years of surgical experimentation and pharma- cological advancements.
In the 1980’s when I was on the staff of the Howard University College of Medicine Center for Sickle Cell Disease I contributed some blood to the Nation- al Institutes of Health. My late mother had sickle cell disease, I have the trait and was glad that I could contribute to finding new treatments and hopefully a cure for an illness that affects a sub- stantial number of African Americans. I am an organ donor and 30 years ago I willed my body to the Howard Uni- versity College of Medicine for research purposes. However, in case my remains are rejected by Howard University, my will lists the Mortuary Science Program of the University of the District of Co- lumbia as my second option. I want to help my people in death as much as I have tried to help the community in life. (To be honest, my body will prob- ably receive more attention in death that it ever did in life.)
In the 1980’s with the advent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic it was clear that our nation had to marshal its resources to save lives. In the beginning, an AIDS diagnosis was an immediate death sen- tence, but due to scientific experimen- tation and innovative drugs people with that disease are able to live longer and meaningfully. Some people with the disease came forth and volunteered for clinical trials to develop new drugs. Of course, there were conspiracy theorists who said that AIDS was manufactured in a laboratory and urged people not to take the new drugs. I am grateful that those negative demagogues did not pre- vail and I am still enjoying the friend- ship of some of those who have been liv- ing with AIDS for over 30 years because they take their medicine.
As soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is developed and proven safe, please sign me up. I want to be among the first in line because I firmly believe that masks as a fashion accessory for the general public should only be for Halloween and masquerade galas.
Philip Pannell is the Director of Community Affairs of ADA, Inc. and the Executive Direc- tor of the non-profit Anacostia Coordinating Council. He is a longtime community activist in the District of Columbia in general and east of the Anacostia River in particular. He has re- ceived over 100 awards during his nearly four decades of work in DC. In 2011 he received the U.S. President’s Call to Service Award and in 2012 received the D.C. Federation of Civic Associations’ award for the Outstand- ing President of a Member Association and the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum’s Community Service Award. He has served as the president of the Congress Heights Commu- nity Association and the Anacostia/Bellevue/ Congress Heights AARP Chapter #4870. u
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