The Life of Henrietta Lacks
Henrietta Lacks was born Loretta Pleasant on August 1, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia. The ninth child of Eliza and Johnny Pleasant, she was raised by her grandfather after her mother's death when Henrietta was just four. She worked as a tobacco farmer from a young age, a common occupation for many Black families in the South at the time. In 1941, she married David "Day" Lacks, her first cousin, and together they moved to Turner Station, Maryland, a thriving community for Black steelworkers near Baltimore. They had five children: Lawrence, Elsie, David Jr. ("Sonny"), Deborah, and Zakariyya (born Joseph).
In January 1951, Henrietta went to Johns Hopkins Hospital, one of the few hospitals in the area that treated Black patients, complaining of unusual vaginal bleeding. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer. During her treatment, two tissue samples were taken from her cervix without her knowledge or consent – one from her healthy tissue and one from the cancerous tumor.
Henrietta Lacks tragically passed away on October 4, 1951, at the age of 31, leaving behind her husband and five young children. Her burial place in an unmarked grave on the family cemetery in Clover, Virginia, reflected the anonymity that her identity would endure for decades while her cells revolutionized medicine.
The Immortal Cells: Her Unforeseen Achievement
While Henrietta's life was cut short, the cells taken from her during her biopsy, later named "HeLa" cells, proved to be extraordinary. Unlike other human cells cultured in laboratories at the time, HeLa cells didn't die after a few divisions; they were "immortal." They could reproduce indefinitely under proper conditions.
Dr. George Gey, a cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, had been trying for years to establish a continuously growing line of human cells for research. HeLa cells were the answer. They became an invaluable tool for scientific discovery, enabling researchers to:
Develop the polio vaccine: HeLa cells were crucial for testing the vaccine developed by Jonas Salk in the 1950s.
Research cancer: Scientists could study cancer without experimenting on humans, observing how cells grow and react to various treatments.
Understand viruses: HeLa cells were used to grow viruses for research into diseases like herpes, measles, and mumps.
Advance genetic mapping: They helped map human genes and understand chromosomal abnormalities.
Develop in vitro fertilization: Research using HeLa cells contributed to the development of IVF.
Study the effects of radiation and toxins: Their resilience made them ideal for understanding how these elements impact human cells.
Travel to space: HeLa cells were even sent into space to study the effects of zero gravity on human cells.
The impact of HeLa cells is immeasurable. They have been vital to over 75,000 scientific studies, leading to numerous Nobel Prizes and countless medical advancements.
The Legacy and the Fight for Justice
For over two decades after Henrietta's death, her family remained completely unaware that her cells were alive, thriving, and being distributed globally for scientific research. In the 1970s, as scientists sought to understand the origins of the HeLa cells, they contacted the Lacks family, requesting blood samples for genetic testing – still without fully explaining the history or the implications.
This marked the beginning of the Lacks family's long and ongoing struggle for justice, privacy, and recognition. They learned that Henrietta, a Black woman from a poor tobacco farming background, had unknowingly contributed one of the most important tools in biomedical research, while her family lived in poverty, unable to afford health insurance, let alone benefit from the vast profits generated by her cells.
The ethical issues surrounding Henrietta Lacks's case are profound:
Lack of Informed Consent: Henrietta never consented to the use of her cells for research. In the 1950s, the concept of informed consent was not legally or ethically established as it is today.
Privacy Violations: Her medical records and genetic information, and eventually that of her family, were shared without consent.
Exploitation: The commercialization of HeLa cells generated immense wealth for biotech companies and researchers, none of which benefited the Lacks family.
The family's fight, largely led by Henrietta's daughter Deborah Lacks, has focused on several key areas:
Recognition: For Henrietta Lacks to be acknowledged as the source of HeLa cells, rather than remaining an anonymous donor.
Control over Genetic Information: To have a say in how her and her descendants' genetic information is used and shared.
Compensation: While direct financial compensation for the past use of HeLa cells has been a complex legal challenge, the family has sought ways to benefit from the ongoing use and to ensure future ethical practices.
In 2013, after a genomic sequence of a HeLa cell line was published without the family's permission, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reached an agreement with the Lacks family. This agreement established the HeLa Genome Data Access Working Group, which includes two Lacks family members. It requires researchers to apply for access to the HeLa genome data and provides for family input into research decisions involving HeLa cells.
Living Descendants and Continued Advocacy
Henrietta Lacks's descendants, particularly her children and grandchildren, have bravely stepped forward to share their story, advocating for ethical standards in research and for their matriarch's legacy. Her grandson, David Lacks Jr., and granddaughter, Jeri Lacks-Whittaker, have been particularly vocal and involved in the NIH agreement.
The Lacks family's journey has brought about significant discussions in bioethics, leading to stricter regulations regarding patient consent, privacy, and the commercialization of human biological materials. Their efforts have helped shape policies that protect patients' rights globally.
Conclusion
Henrietta Lacks's story is a powerful reminder of the complex interplay between scientific progress, ethical responsibility, and social justice. While her cells continue to advance medicine, her family's resilience in the face of historical injustice ensures that her full story – not just her scientific contribution, but also the human cost and the fight for dignity – is heard and remembered. This Black History Month, we honor Henrietta Lacks not only for her involuntary contribution to science but also for the enduring legacy of her family's unwavering pursuit of justice and their profound impact on modern bioethics.
Sources:
Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Crown/Archetype, 2010. (This book is the seminal work on Henrietta Lacks and her family's story, based on extensive research and interviews with the Lacks family.)
National Institutes of Health (NIH). "NIH and the Lacks Family: A New Path for an Enduring Legacy." NIH Director's Blog, August 7, 2013. [Link to NIH website if available or general search term: NIH Lacks family agreement]
Johns Hopkins Medicine. "Henrietta Lacks: The Woman Behind the Cells." [Link to Johns Hopkins Medicine website if available or general search term: Johns Hopkins Henrietta Lacks]
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). "Polio Vaccine History." [Link to CDC website or general search term: Polio vaccine history]
The story of #HenriettaLacks is a must read. Lacks went to Johns Hopkins because she felt a "knot" in her womb. She had previously told her cousins about the "knot" and they assumed correctly that she was pregnant. But after giving birth to her son, Joseph, Henrietta had a severe… pic.twitter.com/wPV7Fd0pJi
— Fed Up! (@valhuntbeauty) February 13, 2026
Henrietta Lacks a Black woman died in 1951 at the age of 31 of cervical cancer.
— LanaQuest aka RosaSparks (@LqLana) February 8, 2026
Her cells turned out to be immortal. The cells could survive in labs making it possible for researchers to reproduce studies.
The cells were named the HeLa cell line. They were shared without… pic.twitter.com/7jgc7ZEF20
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