Funviralpark
CNN
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A monument to Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Roanoke, Virginia, will be replaced by a statue of Henrietta Lux’s cells used in important medical research without her consent.
Lux, a black mother of five children being treated for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital, was treated with radium in 1951, but her cancerous tissue was removed and Sent to another doctor’s lab without her consent. Cancer researcher George Gay used Lack’s tissue to culture a series of cells that are still used in medical research today. It was an acceptable and legal practice to collect cells and use them for research, but today no such practice would be done without the patient’s consent.”
Lux died of cancer later that year at the age of 31.
A statue dedicated to Lux and her contributions to science will be erected in Lux’s hometown of Roanoke in the fall of 2023, according to the city’s Facebook page. Formerly known as Lee Her Plaza, the square was also renamed Lux Plaza in her honor.
The city began legal proceedings in June 2020 to remove the 1960 Robert E. Lee statue, according to CNN affiliate WDBJ.
At a press conference on December 19, city officials released preliminary sketches of the statue to celebrate Lux’s life.
At a press conference, Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney representing the Lux estate, said, “In the past, we commemorated many men with statues that divide us.” , a statue of a black woman will be erected that will bring us together.”
The city’s deputy mayor, Trish White-Boyd, said the Roanoke City Council had unanimously decided to rename the square.
“We want to honor her and celebrate her,” White Boyd said of Lux.
The city has surpassed its goal of raising $160,000 for the statue, she added.
Cell lines derived from Lux’s cells, called HeLa cells, have allowed scientists to experiment and create life-saving drugs, including polio vaccines, in vitro fertilization, and genetic mapping. It also contributes to advances in cancer and AIDS research.
“It’s been an honor to be here,” said Ron Lacks, Henrietta’s grandson, at the conference. He praised Roanoke for actually working with Lux’s family and estate to design the statue.
And Lawrence Lux, Henrietta’s only surviving child, said a statue of his mother would make him “the happiest person in the world.”
Artist Bryce Cobbs created a sketch of Lux that was used as the inspiration for the statue. “It was a humbling experience,” Cobbs said at a press conference to create the sketch. I couldn’t imagine being surrounded by supportive people.”
Sculptor Larry Bechtel, who creates the sculpture, called the project “a big deal” at the conference. “I’ve had a lot of commissions, but this one is unique,” he said.
Little was known outside the medical community about Lux’s influence on modern medicine until the 2010 publication of the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lux, written by author Rebecca Skrut about her life. I did.
Since then, activists and institutions have posthumously honored Lux’s non-consenting contributions and worked to raise awareness of the little-known contributions of black women to science. In 2018, the Smithsonian unveiled a portrait of Lux in the National Portrait Gallery. And in 2021, the World Health Organization awarded her her award.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement at the time: “In honor of Henrietta Lax, WHO considers past scientific misconduct and the importance of promoting racial equality in health and science. admit,” he said.
