The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot tells the story of a Black tobacco farmer from Virginia whose cancer cells were taken without her knowledge or consent in 1951 and became one of the most important biological tools in modern medicine. Known in laboratories as HeLa, her cells led to the polio vaccine, cancer research, and countless other medical breakthroughs. Yet Henrietta’s family never received any compensation and for decades did not even know her cells were alive. Skloot spent a decade researching this story, weaving together the history of modern science, medical ethics, race, and poverty into a narrative as gripping as any thriller. A landmark work that raises fundamental questions about consent, ownership, and the commodification of the human body.