Still Not Enough: Family of Henrietta Lacks Receives Juneteenth Award Amid Ongoing Fight for Justice

Henrietta Lacks, a Baltimore native, was one of the various groups of patients who unknowingly donated cells to Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951. Henrietta Lacks’ cancer cells, known as HeLa cells, have proven pivotal in countless scientific breakthroughs since their discovery that year. Despite their critical role in advancing medical science, the cells were used non-consensually, unbeknownst to her or her family, leading to a long battle for justice and recognition. The Lacks family’s unwavering determination, supported by Attorney Ben Crump’s and his team’s legal efforts, resulted in a landmark settlement addressing the unethical exploitation of her cells. The family of Henrietta Lacks and national civil rights attorney Ben Crump have been named recipients of “The Galveston International Juneteenth Museum’s Dr. Ronald Myers Legacy Award.” This prestigious award recognizes their historic legal victory for the unjust enrichment derived from Henrietta Lacks’ immortal cells. The award ceremony was held on the afternoon of June 26, 2024, at Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. The event was attended by prominent figures such as State Representative of Texas, District 147, Jolanda Jones; Commissioner Rodney Ellis; The Community of Faith Church, Senior Pastor Bishop James Dixon II; Southern University Law Center Professor Deleso A. Alford;...