22 Years ago Today

Image: healingdream

Twenty-years have passed, but the damaged hasn't quite been erased.

On April 20, 1990, thousands of Haitian-Americans in New York City walked across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan to protest the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) shameful policy, ruling that Haitian's living in United States should be discouraged from donating blood because they were a 'high-risk' group for AIDS. What did this mean? It was an ongoing discussion among American health agencies. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) was the first organization to designate Haitians as a high-risk group for AIDS and HIV, placing Haitians in the discriminatory '4H' list. The 4H list comprised of four alleged high-risk groups. Haitians were one of the four; the other groups were hemophiliacs, heroin users, and homosexuals.

Under this jurisdiction, the FDA joined the bandwagon in 1984, barring Haitians from donating blood. Being that most Haitian-Americans are Black, many activist groups felt that the policy was racist and unfair. The categorization of Haitians as carriers of HIV/AIDS during a period of heightened fear and misinformation of the disease itself, led many to believe that it was a typical shift of blame. During this period, many Haitians began to feel the toll and damage the policies caused. Haitians were wholly stereotyped and discriminated against, already dealing with the challenges of adjusting to life as immigrants in a foreign land.

And this was not the first time Haitians were blamed for diseases that ravished Americans. During the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, several Philadelphian's pointed to newly arrived Haitian immigrants as the source of the disease.

To further add to this history of blame (especially on immigrants), Haitians were not the only nationalistic group used as a scapegoat for disease. The Anglo-American, or WASP's, had a history of blaming anyone who wasn't WASP for any disease that affected them. This is despite their own ethnic-borne cooties, that are infamous for being capable of killing off a large portion of an entire racial group (Native Americans).

The Irish were blamed for cholera. The Chinese were blamed for the bubonic plague and smallpox. The Italians were blamed for polio, and Jews from East Europe were blamed for a various sickness, including Tuberculosis.

It did not end there, and into the 21st century the blame game continued. Haitians may have been the last ethnic group to become victims to the prejudice of the American health industry, however the culture of prejudice in health could still be rationally argued in references to racial statistics that are released by various American healthy agencies. Many may argue that the release of this information is a safety warning, while others may see it as a form of bias and a continuation of latent racial superiority. Given that minority groups tend to rank high in statistical data on poor health, many have this belief and the distrust between those of the medical profession and minorities will seemingly widen.

Singling out an entire nationality is too cautious today and would draw an angry reaction. Which is why in December of 2010, a New York City radio host received negative backlash for mentioning Haitian women in a discussion about AIDS. The story brought back many memories to Haitians living in United States, many who were deeply affected by the ban FDA placed on Haitian blood in the '80's. Many reactions were a protest, criticism from rival stations, and calls for termination from Haitian leaders and supporters.

Nowadays it seems easier to just point out a racial group and let people form their own assumptions. Because whatever certain studies want to achieve, there also needs to be some responsibility on their part with the misinformation, classification and stereotyping that is birthed from them.

I speak from experience. As a young Haitian, it's not uncommon to still hear people associate Haitians with AIDS/HIV. It was over two decades ago and the attitude still prevails.