Oak Park in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Henrietta Lacks

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2026

1. Henrietta Lacks Mural

Inscription. Henrietta Lacks, a poor black farmer, died in 1951 of cervical cancer. Her tumor cells were taken without her knowledge, and became the first cultured human cells because they were found to divide indefinitely. Her cells have saved countless lives.

1951 – diagnosed, cells taken at Johns Hopkins, died and buried in an unmarked grave.

cells found to be immortal and were called HeLa cells

1952-present – cells shipped to scientists around the world. Today, HeLa cells are still cultured worldwide, but for profit.

All HeLa cells combined with outweigh 100 Empire State buildings

The Lacks family received nothing in return for their mother's cells

Henrietta Lacks
August 01, 1920-October 04, 1951

Here lies Henrietta Lacks. Her immortal cells will help mankind forever.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture • Science & Medicine • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is August 1, 1951.

Location. 41° 53.219′ N, 87° 48.033′ W. Marker is in Oak Park, Illinois, in Cook County. It is at the intersection of Home Avenue and South Boulevard, on

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the right when traveling south on Home Avenue. The mural is on the west wall of the tunnel beneath the elevated train tracks. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Oak Park IL 60302, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fibonacci (a few steps from this marker); Oak Park Station (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pleasant Home (about 500 feet away); Mills Park and Pleasant Home (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named Mills Park and Pleasant Home (about 600 feet away); Continental Divide (about 600 feet away); Niles Building (about 600 feet away); James Russell Lowell School (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers

Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 1 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2026

2. Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 1

in Oak Park.

More about this marker. The mural was painted onto the train embankment by a 2012 youth summer camp sponsored by the Oak Park Education Foundation (OPEF). A mural across the street, dedicated to the Fibonacci Sequence, was painted by OPEF campers in 2011. A few other murals can be found in Oak Park train tunnels, including one dedicated to Marie Curie.

Sitting beneath the "L" tracks in downtown Oak Park, the mural demonstrates a fair bit of wear, and one part in the middle (which had the sentence about the continued use of Lacks's cells from 1952 to present) was painted over sometime between 2019 and 2024. The wording of that section was determined based on archived photos from Google Maps Street View.

Also see . . .
1. Train embankments are Oak Park's new canvass.

Excerpt: “'What this mural conveys is the story of Henrietta Lacks, the poor Southern tobacco farmer with cervical cancer who died in 1951,' explained Renata Voci, a 2012 OPRF High School grad, and River Forester who was Frick’s teaching assistant this year. During the planning stage, the high school senior happened to be reading The Immortal
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2026

3. Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 2
Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. She pitched the idea to Frick, and the idea took off.”

(Submitted on April 14, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

2. The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks. From Johns Hopkins Medicine

Excerpt: 'Johns Hopkins applauds and regularly participates in efforts to raise awareness of the life and story of Henrietta Lacks. Having reviewed our interactions with Henrietta Lacks and with the Lacks family over more than 50 years, we found that Johns Hopkins could have – and should have – done more to inform and work with members of Henrietta Lacks’ family out of respect for them, their privacy and their personal interests. Though the collection and use of Henrietta Lacks' cells in research was an acceptable and legal practice in the 1950s, the laws protecting research subjects have evolved. We at Johns Hopkins have been supportive of legal changes since 1951 that protect research subjects, and we are compliant with these requirements, including those related to informed consent."

(Submitted on April 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 3 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2026

4. Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 3

Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 4 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2026

5. Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 4

Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 5 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2026

6. Henrietta Lacks Mural, part 5

Henrietta Lacks Mural beneath the "L" tracks image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2026

7. Henrietta Lacks Mural beneath the "L" tracks

Credits. This page was last revised on April 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 14, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 17 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on April 14, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.