Clover in Halifax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Henrietta Lacks

(1920-1951)

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, June 15, 2013

1. Henrietta Lacks Marker

Inscription. Born in Roanoke on 1 Aug. 1920, Henrietta Pleasant lived here with relatives after her mother’s 1924 death. She married David Lacks in 1941 and, like many other African Americans, moved to Baltimore, Md. for wartime employment. She died of cervical cancer on 4 Oct. 1951. Cell tissue was removed without permission (as usual then) for medical research. Her cells multiplied and survived at an extraordinarily high rate, and are renowned worldwide as the “HeLa line,” the “gold standard” of cell lines. Jonas Salk developed his polio vaccine with them. Henrietta Lacks, who in death saved countless lives, is buried nearby.

Erected 2010 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number U-53.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Science & Medicine. A significant historical date for this entry is August 1, 1920.

Location. 36° 49.037′ N, 78° 44.143′ W. Marker is in Clover, Virginia, in Halifax County. Marker is at the intersection of James D Hagood Highway (U.S. 360) and Guill Town Road (Virginia Route 720), on the right when traveling east on James D Hagood Highway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Clover VA 24534, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Battle of Staunton River Bridge

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(approx. 4.9 miles away); Staunton River State Park (approx. 5 miles away); Wilson’s orders were to destroy the Richmond and Danville Railroad to the greatest extent possible (approx. 5.7 miles away); Roanoke Station (approx. 5.7 miles away); Wilson-Kautz Raid (approx. 5.7 miles away); Salem School (approx. 6.4 miles away); Nathaniel Terry's Grave (approx. 7.6 miles away); Wylliesburgh (approx. 8.2 miles away).

US 360 (facing east) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, June 15, 2013

2. US 360 (facing east)

Henrietta Lacks (HeLa): The Mother of Modern Medicine image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Allen C. Browne, June 28, 2018

3. Henrietta Lacks (HeLa): The Mother of Modern Medicine

This 2017 portrait of Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951) by Kadir Nelson hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

“Henrietta Lacks, whose great-great-grandmother was enslaved, died of cervical cancer at age thirty-one. Upon her death, doctors discovered that cells from her body lived long lives and reproduced indefinitely in petri dishes. These ‘immortal’ HeLa cells have since contributed to over 10,000 medical patents relating to polio, AIDS, Parkinson's disease, and other conditions.

Considering the history of medical testing on African Americans without their consent, the fate of Lacks’s cells raises questions about ethics, privacy, and race. By addressing these issues forthrightly in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2010), author Rebecca Skloot prompted Oprah Winfrey and HBO to make a film on the subject.

Kadir Nelson's portrait of Lacks uses visual elements to convey her legacy. The wallpaper features the ‘Flower of Life,’ a symbol of immortality. The pattern of her dress recalls cellular structures, and the garment's missing buttons signal the absence of those cells that were taken from her body, without permission.” – National Portrait Gallery

Credits. This page was last revised on December 31, 2018. It was originally submitted on June 16, 2013, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,099 times since then and 113 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 16, 2013, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 3. submitted on December 29, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.