Scientist Al Chambles Explains Why Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett’s Contribution to the Moderna Vaccine Matters in the Black Community | Black Writers Week

While there are numerous reasons given for the reluctance of African Americans to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, including access difficulties, the infamous Tuskegee Experiment which began in 1932 to study syphilis looms large. At that time, there was no known cure or treatment for the contagious venereal disease. Six hundred African-American men in Macon County, Alabama were enrolled in the project, whose purpose was to study the full progression of the disease. The men were enticed to enroll in the study by promising them free medical care.

However, penicillin became the recommended treatment, in many cases a cure, for syphilis in 1947— about 15 years into the study. Nevertheless, the men in the study were not told of this information nor given penicillin. The health workers monitored them but they were only given placebos such as aspirin and mineral supplements. They watched the men suffer brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints damage and eventual death. 

Dr. Kizzy has appeared on numerous programs encouraging African Americans to take the Covid-19 vaccine. It is believed that the continuing voice of Dr. Kizzy to encourage African Americans to take the Covid-19 vaccine is helping to remove some of the reluctance of African Americans to take the vaccine due to the negative stigma associated with the historically unethical treatment of African Americans and other ethnic groups by the medical establishment in America. She is committed to using science and her voice to improve people’s lives, especially for communities that have been denied full participation in American society—health, education, employment, etc.

ENCOURAGING AA SCIENTIFIC TALENT

Africans Americans have made substantial progress in mastering a wide range of careers and occupations—dominating sports, entertainment, and human services, etc. Nevertheless, African-Americans continue to lag behind their peers in studying and understanding basic science. Their proficiency in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has shown to be a very difficult frontier to penetrate. It is hoped that Dr. Kizzy’s well-publicized scientific accomplishments, her vibrant African-American role model status, and her powerful voice will help African Americans to penetrate yet another frontier.