History Daily President Clinton Apologizes for the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment
May 16, 2025
On May 16, 1997, Bill Clinton delivered a historic apology for the government's role in the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, which misled African American men from 1932 to 1972. The dark legacy of this unethical medical study is examined, highlighting its profound impact on the community. Elderly survivor Herman Shaw reflects on the personal and collective traumas faced by those involved. The discussion pushes for accountability and remembrance, proposing a National Center for Bioethics Research to address these past injustices.
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Herman Shaw's Tragic Participation
- Herman Shaw, an African-American sharecropper, attended Tuskegee Hospital in 1932 hoping for a cure for his illness known as "bad blood."
- He became one of 600 men involved in a study that in reality denied them proper treatment for syphilis.
Pseudoscience and Deception in Tuskegee
- Researchers conducted the Tuskegee syphilis experiment targeting impoverished African-American men under deceptive pretenses.
- They denied treatment even after penicillin was discovered, believing syphilis affected races differently, which was scientifically false.
Whistleblower Peter Buxton's Role
- Peter Buxton discovered the unethical nature of the study in 1966 and tirelessly tried to stop it internally.
- After being ignored, he leaked the details to the press in 1972, leading to the study's termination.