A Resurfaced History Of Experimentation On Black People

If you’re exhausted by Black-trauma content, I get it, skip this one. I’m not here to sensationalize. I’m here to document what happened and why it still matters.
In the 1950s–60s, the U.S. Army conducted aerosol dispersion tests over parts of St. Louis. This predominantly Black neighborhood reported a “toxic fog” rolling through their streets. Officials later described the material (zinc-cadmium sulfide) and claimed typical exposures were low. Residents remember kids running from the cloud, parents closing windows, and men in protective gear. Today, many still want independent testing, accountability, and answers.
This episode connects that story to a broader record we shouldnt forget: Tuskegee, the surgeries on Anarcha/Lucy/Betsey, Holmesburg, and environmental waste facilities placed near Black communities. These are receipts and they’re the reason modern ethics (informed consent, IRBs, Belmont Report) exist.