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Course: Big History Project > Unit 5
Lesson 4: Ways of Knowing: Life | 5.3READ: Henrietta Lacks’ Immortal Legacy - Graphic Biography
Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951) was an African American woman who grew up on the same land her ancestors had lived on as enslaved people. When she was diagnosed with cancer, doctors took a sample of the tumor they found without her consent. These cells are the source of HeLa cells, the first immortal human cell line and one that proved immensely important to research and the treatment of disease. Yet, Henrietta and her family were not aware that her cells were being distributed and did not have a voice in the way they were being used until recently.
The Graphic Biography below uses “Three Close Reads”. If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.
First read: skimming for gist
This will be your quickest read. It should help you get the general idea of what the graphic biography will be about. Pay attention to the title, headings, images, and layout. Ask yourself: what is this graphic biography going to be about?
Second read: understanding content
For this reading, you should be looking for unfamiliar vocabulary words, the major claim and key supporting details, and analysis and evidence. You should also spend some time looking at the images and the way in which the page is designed.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- How did doctors at Johns Hopkins originally obtain a sample of Henrietta Lacks’ cells?
- Why are HeLa cells considered “immortal”?
- What breakthroughs in research and health care have HeLa cells led to?
- Why is it significant that HeLa cells were publicly identified as belonging to Henrietta Lacks?
- Why do you think the artist chose to include both an image of Henrietta’s son, Lawrence, and a DNA strand in the last frame of the biography?
Third read: evaluating and corroborating
In this read, you should use the graphic biography as evidence to support, extend, or challenge claims made in the course.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
- Henrietta Lacks died in 1951, yet her HeLa cells continue to grow today. How does this biography of Henrietta Lacks support, extend, or challenge what you thought about what makes you “you”?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to read! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished reading.
Henrietta Lacks’ Immortal Legacy - Graphic Biography
Writer: Molly Sinnott
Artist: Kay Sohini
Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951) was an African American woman who grew up on the same land her ancestors had lived on as enslaved people. When she was diagnosed with cancer, doctors took a sample of the tumor they found without her consent. These cells are the source of HeLa cells, the first immortal human cell line and one that proved immensely important to research and the treatment of disease. Yet, Henrietta and her family were not aware that her cells were being distributed and did not have a voice in the way they were being used until recently.
Download the Graphic Biography PDF here or click on the image above.
Want to join the conversation?
This story is beyond amazing!
It challenges what we know to be true about death.
Why do 'they' not speak on the implications of immortality?(5 votes)