Brief Summary
Lorie Daniel Favors discusses the historical context of racial disparities in healthcare in the United States, arguing that the current healthcare crisis is a direct result of the systemic exclusion of Black people from healthcare benefits and opportunities. She references an article from the New York Times that explains how racism has shaped the American healthcare system. She urges Black people to remember this history as they work towards building a better and healthier society, and encourages white people to confront their racism and its consequences.
- The historical exclusion of Black people from healthcare has led to the current healthcare crisis in the US.
- Racism has shaped the American healthcare system, leading to disparities in access and quality of care.
- Black people must remember this history as they work towards building a better and healthier society.
- White people need to confront their racism and its consequences.
Introduction: The Color Purple and Healthcare
Lorie Daniel Favors starts by referencing a scene from "The Color Purple" where Celie curses Mister, drawing a parallel to the current state of healthcare in the United States. She asserts that the problems with the healthcare system are a direct result of the "evil, horrific, diabolical things" done to Black people, which now affect everyone. She mentions the eight Democrats who sided with Republicans to end the government shutdown without ensuring the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, emphasizing the impact on individuals' healthcare costs.
The Impact of Ending Affordable Care Act Subsidies
The speaker shares a video clip of a white woman expressing her shock and frustration over a significant increase in her health insurance premium due to the ending of the Affordable Care Act subsidy program. The woman notes her premium is increasing from $218 to $1,418 per month, a 546% increase. She urges viewers to make their voices heard and contact representatives in Washington to express their concerns about the healthcare situation.
Historical Context: Race and Healthcare
Lorie Daniel Favors references a New York Times article titled "Why Doesn't the United States Have Universal Healthcare? The Answer Has Everything to Do with Race" by Janine Interland, published on August 14, 2019. The article explains how the exclusion of Black people from healthcare after the Civil War has shaped the current system. After the Civil War, newly freed Africans faced numerous challenges, including vagrancy laws (Black Codes) that led to incarceration and re-enslavement under the 13th Amendment.
Segregation and the Freedman's Bureau
Following the Civil War, many newly freed Africans faced disease and lack of resources. White doctors and hospitals often refused to treat them, claiming they were "allergic to freedom." The Freedman's Bureau established about 120 doctors and 40 hospitals to provide medical services to Black people, marking the beginning of a segregated healthcare system. The Freedman's Bureau also proposed a federal healthcare system, a novel idea for America at the time. Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first Black female doctor, worked with the Freedman's Bureau and wrote about the burden of disease in Black communities, highlighting the role of racism in healthcare disparities.
Exclusion from New Deal Programs and Healthcare
In the decades following Reconstruction, Black people continued to be excluded from healthcare and other benefits. Despite President Truman's efforts to expand the hospital system in 1945, racist policies ensured that benefits were distributed at the state level, allowing for the continued exclusion of Black people. Professional organizations like the American Medical Association (AMA) refused to admit Black doctors, and medical schools refused to admit Black students. Black people created their own organizations, such as the National Community Healthcare Movement, to fundraise for Black healthcare facilities and educate their communities about health.
The AMA and the Fight Against Universal Healthcare
In the mid-1900s, the National Medical Association, the leading Black medical society, advocated for a federal healthcare plan, while the American Medical Association (AMA) opposed nationalized healthcare. By the 1950s, Black people were actively pushing for universal healthcare, but the AMA resisted, labeling it as "socialist" and "unamerican." The AMA played a key role in establishing privatized healthcare insurance, prioritizing profits over universal access to care.
Consequences of Racism in Healthcare
The speaker argues that the current healthcare crisis, including high premiums, is a direct result of the historical exclusion of Black people from healthcare. She urges white people to consider what they truly want and to recognize how their racism has hindered progress towards universal healthcare. She uses the example of public swimming pools being shut down rather than shared with Black people to illustrate how racism has led to collective disadvantage.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Lorie Daniel Favors emphasizes the need for Black people to understand the historical context of racism in healthcare as they work towards building a better society. She notes that white people have often been willing to sacrifice their own well-being rather than share resources with Black people. She encourages Black people to avoid being dragged down by the failures of the current system and to focus on building a new world. She concludes by directing viewers to the podcast for a more extensive discussion of the topic.
