Roanoke, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Birthplace of Henrietta Lacks

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 17, 2023

1. Birthplace of Henrietta Lacks Marker

Inscription. Henrietta Lacks was born Loretta Pleasant on 1 Aug. 1920 in a house at this site. Her parents, John and Eliza Pleasant, had moved the family to Norfolk Ave. and 11th St. by 1923. After her mother's death in 1924, she lived with relatives in Clover, VA. She married David Lacks in 1941 and had five children. On 4 Oct. 1951, she died of cervical cancer in Baltimore. Tissue was removed for research without permission, as was typical before such practices were abolished. Lacks's cells, known as the HeLa line, were the first human cells to multiply indefinitely in a laboratory. Used by scientists worldwide, her cells have contributed to many medical breakthroughs. Lacks is burled in Halifax County.

Erected 2022 by Virginia Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number K-167.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Science & Medicine • Women. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is October 4, 1951.

Location. 37° 16.536′ N, 79° 57.667′ W. Marker is in Roanoke, Virginia. Marker is on 12th Street Southwest north of Norfolk Avenue Southwest, on the right. Marker is on west side

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of Perry Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Roanoke VA 24016, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Torteras Village Indian Trail (approx. 0.4 miles away); James Alexander Tract Boundary (approx. 0.4 miles away); Roanoke Memorial Bridge (approx. 0.6 miles away); 511 Day Ave SW (approx. ¾ mile away); Panama Canal Mule No. 686 (approx. ¾ mile away); Mead Corporation Industrial Locomotive #200 (approx. ¾ mile away); Virginian Railway Class C-10 Caboose #321 (approx. 0.8 miles away); 1936 F-20 McCormick Deering Farmall Tractor (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Roanoke.

Also see . . .
1. The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks. Today, these incredible cells — nicknamed "HeLa" cells, from the first two letters of her first and last names — are used to study the effects of toxins, drugs, hormones and viruses on the growth of cancer cells without experimenting on humans. They have been used to test the effects of radiation and poisons, to study the human genome, to learn more about how viruses work, and played a crucial role in the development of the polio and COVID-19 vaccines. (Johns Hopkins Medicine) (Submitted on July 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. HeLa 100: The Henrietta Lacks Initiative

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 17, 2023

2. Birthplace of Henrietta Lacks Marker

. The Lacks family launched this initiative in 2020 (a century after her birth) to honor her legacy and educate future generations on her cells' impact while promoting health equity and social justice. (Submitted on July 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 97 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.