By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Coppin State University’s (CSU) Health and Human Services Building now bears the name of Henrietta Lacks, honoring the Baltimore woman whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951— became the first immortal human cell line and revolutionized medical research.
The name of the building was unveiled during an Oct. 15 ceremony that featured remarks from CSU President Anthony L. Jenkins and American civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, who formerly represented the Lacks family in their lawsuits seeking justice and compensation for the unauthorized use of Henrietta Lacks’ cells.
“As an institution dedicated to discovery and service, we are excited to name this building in honor of Henrietta Lacks. Her immortal HeLa cells catalyze breakthroughs that have advanced the entire medical industry and have saved countless lives around the world. Yet her story also reminds us of the harm caused when research is conducted recklessly, unethically and without equity,” said Jenkins in a statement emailed to the AFRO. “As Baltimore’s leading HBCU in healthcare, by placing her name on our Health and Human Services Building, we are strengthening our commitment to scientific excellence that is inseparable from ethical rigor, respect for individuals and families, and partnership with the communities we serve. May every student, clinician, and researcher who enters these doors be inspired by her legacy: to pursue knowledge with humility, to expand access to its benefits, and to ensure that progress is never separated from justice.”
CSU’s largest academic facility, the Henrietta Lacks Health and Human Services Building houses the university’s nursing, criminal justice, social work, applied psychology and interdisciplinary studies programs. The building is equipped with a forensic laboratory, 18 smart classrooms, tech-enhanced conference and seminar rooms, nursing simulation labs and an auditorium. It also holds the school’s Community Health Center and community outreach programs.
Last January, CSU launched an initiative to rename several campus facilities, including the Henrietta Lacks Health and Human Services Building. The university encouraged students, alumni, faculty, staff and surrounding community members to submit names that reflected CSU’s mission and values.
Other facilities that have been retitled include the Katherine Johnson Science and Technology Building, commemorating the trailblazing NASA scientist, and the Margaret Peters Tennis Complex, recognizing the CSU alumnae who became a dominant force in the American Tennis Association.
