1895
Booker T. Washington at the Atlanta Cotton Exposition, outlines his dream for black economic development and gains support of northern philanthropists, including Julius Rosenwald (President of Sears, Roebuck and Company).

1900
Tuskegee educational experiment gains widespread support. Rosenwald Fund provides monies to develop schools, factories, businesses, and agriculture.

1915
Booker T. Washington dies;
Robert Moton continues work.

1926
Health is seen as inhibiting development and major health initiative is started. Syphilis is seen as major health problem. Prevalence of 35 percent observed in reproductive age population.

1929
Aggressive treatment approach initiated with mercury and bismuth. Cure rate is less than 30 percent; treatment requires months and side effects are toxic, sometimes fatal.

“Wall Street Crash”
economic depression begins.

1931
Rosenwald Fund cuts support to development projects. Clark and Vondelehr decide to follow men left untreated due to lack of funds in order to show need for treatment program.

1932
Follow-up effort organized into study of 399 men with syphilis and 201 without. The men would be given periodic physical assessments and told they were being treated. Moton agrees to support study if “Tuskegee Institute gets its full share of the credit” and black professionals are involved (Dr. Dibble and Nurse Rivers are assigned to study).

1934
First papers suggest health effects of untreated syphilis.

1936
Major paper published. Study criticized because it is not known if men are being treated. Local physicians asked to assist with study and not to treat men. Decision was made to follow the men until death.

1940
Efforts made to hinder men from getting treatment ordered under the military
draft effort.

1945
Penicillin accepted as treatment of choice for syphilis.

1947
USPHS establishes “Rapid Treatment Centers” to treat syphilis; men in study are not treated, but syphilis declines.

1962
Beginning in 1947, 127 black medical students are rotated through unit doing the study.

1968
Concern raised about ethics of study by Peter Buxtun and others.

1969
CDC reaffirms need for study and gains local medical societies’ support (AMA and NMA chapters officially support continuation of study).

1972
First news articles condemn studies.

Study ends.

1973
Congress holds hearings and a class-action lawsuit is filed on behalf of the
study participants.

1974
A $10 million out-of-court settlement is reached. The U.S. government also promised to give lifetime medical benefits and burial services to all living participants; the Tuskegee Health Benefit Program (THBP) was established to provide
these services.

1975
Wives, widows and children were added to the program.

1995
The program was expanded to include health as well as medical benefits.

1997
On May 16th President Clinton apologizes on behalf of the Nation.

1999
Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care hosts 1st Annual Commemoration of the Presidential Apology.

2001
President’s Council on Bioethics was established.

2004
CDC funds 10 million dollar cooperative agreement to continue work at Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care.

2004
The last United States Public Health Service Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male at Tuskegee and Macon County, Alabama 1932 - 1972 participant passes away on January 16.

2006
Tuskegee University holds formal opening of Bioethics Center.

2007
CDC hosts Commemorating and Transforming the Legacy of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Syphilis Study at Tuskegee.

2009
The last widow receiving THBP benefits passes away on January 27.

2010
The children and their descendants unite to form The Voices for Our Fathers
Legacy Foundation.

Adair, Green
Adams, Coton
Adams, James
Adams, Louis
Albert, Prince
Alexander, Ben
Alexander, Joe
Alexander, Marion
Allen, Jefferson
Allen, Sam
Allen, Seldon
Anderson, George
Anderson, George T.
Anthony, Will
Askew, Seaborn
Austin, Alfred
Austin, Dean
Austin, George
Austin, Hyth
Austin, Nelson
Austin, Wiley

Baker, George
Banks, Early
Banks, Jack
Barrow, David
Barrow, Seth
Bascom, Bishop
Battle, Enoch
Battle, Lee
Beasley, Nathaniel
Beasley, Robert
Berry, John
Berry, Lomie
Bessick, Ed
Bessick, Ernest    
Black, Ishman
Black, Jim
Black, Wiley
Blackburn, Will
Blackman, Primus
Blackman, Tommie Lee
Bledsoe, Pustell
Borum, Muncie
Boyd, Grant
Boyd, Jimmie
Boyd, Richard Bernard
Boyd, Tobe
Brooks, Eli
Brown, Bailey
Brown, Doll
Brown, John C.
Brown, K. L
Brown, Logan
Brown, Riley
Brown, Vance
Bryant, J. R.
Bryant, Willie
Bryant, Winfield
Buchanan, Ben
Buchanan, Charlie
Buchanan, Charlie
Buchanan, Columbus
Buchanan Gene
Buchanan, John
Buchanan, Sol
Buchanan, Wash
Buford, James
Burton, William E.
Butler, Eli
Byrd, Sam

Caldwell, William
Calhoun, Forney  Campbell, Alfred
Campbell, Charlie
Campbell, Ishmael
Campbell, Jack
Campbell, Judge
Campbell, Will
Carlisle, Robert
Carmichel, Gus
Carr, Jim
Caston, Eugene
Chambliss, Henry
Chambliss, Jerry
Chambliss, Pollard
Chambliss, William
Chappel, Hillard
Chappel, Seaborn
Charlestom, Rufus
Chatman, George
Cheeks, John
Chisholm, Ben
Chisholm, Ed
Clabon, James
Clark, Joshua
Clark, Mose
Clements, Ludie
Cole, Allen
Coleman, Samuel
Collier, Isaac
Collins, Algie
Collins, Jim
Collins, John
Collins, Julius
Collice, Relice
Collins, Willie
Collis, Dan
Collis, Sylvester
Comer, Ben
Cooper, Amos
Cooper, Frank
Cooper, Gentry
Cox, Fletcher
Cox, Jeff
Cox, Redonia
Cox, Tom
Crawford, George
Crawford, Jimmie Lee
Crawford, John
Crawford, Logan
Crawford, Wash
Crawley, James
Crayton, Ernest
Crayton, Lonzie C.

Daggett, Zettie
Daniel, Albert
Daniel, Clark
Daniel, John Wesley
Daniel, Mac
Darkey, Floyd
Davis, Anthony
Davis, Bonnie
Davis, Elbert
Davis, Henry
Davis, Mariman
Davis, Martin
Day, Frank M.
Demps, Benjamin
Dennis, Nat
Dixson, Frank
Donar, Sam
Doner, Mose
Doner, Wilbert
Doner, Wiley
Donnar, Kelly
Dorsey, Alex
Dorsey, Jim
Dorsey, Will
Dowdell, Crawford
Downer, Willie
Dozier, Bill
Dubose, N. D.

Echols, D. C.
Echols, John
Echols, Pressley
Echols, Wade
Echols, Wiley
Echols, Willie
Ellingon, John A.
Ellington, Simuel
Epps, Henry
Evans, Ben
Evans, Henry Mark
Evans, Lemuel

Felton, Cleve
Felton, Tom
Fitzpatrick, Green
Fitzpatrick, Ned
Fitzpatrick, Thomas
Fitzpatrick, Willie
Foote, Bill
Foote, Joe
Ford, Abbie
Ford, Arthur
Ford, Peroy
Fort, Calvin
Fort, E. Gary
Fort, Jasper
Fort, Nathan
Fort, Sandy
Foster, Archie    
Foster, Eddie
Foster, Bonnie
Foster, David
Foster, Lee
Foster, Pomp
Foster, Reuben
Foster, William
Foy, Jim
Foy, Louis
Franklin, Ulysses

Gaines, Percy
Galgher, Ben
Gamble, Bob
Gamble, Elijah
Garner, Alfred W.
Gaston, Will
Gauchett, Nick
Germany, Albert
Germany, Fred
Gholston, Ben
Giles, Fred
Gilmer, Quincie
Gilmore, Doc
Glenn, Sam
Goode, John
Goodson, Grover
Gordon, Virgil
Gratehouse, Clayborn
Gratehouse, John E.
Gray, Desibe
Greathouse, Clifton
Green, Mose
Green, Walter
Green, Will
Greer, George
Griffin, Colonel
Griffin, Dave
Griffin, Miles    
Griffin, Samuel
Griffin, Willie
Griggs, Charlie
Grimes, Emmett
Grimes, James
Griscoll, Harvey
Grove, Frank

Hagins, G. B.
Hagood, Andrew
Hall, Cary
Hamilton, Columbus
Haney, Sherman
Hann, Freeman
Hardy, Albert
Harper, Clifton
Harper, Robert
Harris, Adolphus
Harris, Alonzo
Harris, Elisha
Harris, George
Harris, Jake
Harris, Jake
Harris, James
Harris, Lewis
Harris, Theodore
Harris, Will
Harris, Will Smuch
Harris, William
Harrison, Edward
Harrison, Willie
Hart, Frank
Hart, John
Hart, L. Z.
Harvey, Charlie
Harvey, Walter
Hatten, Ludie    
Hatten, Sandy
Hatten, Square
Hawkins, Henry
Henderson, Absalom
Henderson, Dick
Henderson, Hilliard
Henderson, James
Hendon, Ernest
Hendon, Louie
Henry, Johnnie
Hicks, Phil
Hicks, William
Hill, Phillip
Hoffman, Clayborn
Holiday, Joseph H.
Holmes, Zan
Howard, Carter
Howard, Tony
Hudson, John
Huffman, Bennie Lee
Huffman, Marcus
Hugley, Arthur
Hurt, Will
Hutchinson, Zack

Iszell, Minor

Jackson, David
Jackson, Fleming
Jackson, Isiah
Jackson, James
Jackson, Jim
Jackson, Martin
Jackson, Randall
Jackson, Roosevelt
Jackson, Stephie
Jackson, Tom Pony
Jackson, Tommy J.    
James, Clinton
James, George
James, Jessie
James, John C.
James, Jorden
James, Wilbert
Jenkins, Howard
Jenkins, West
Jenkins, William, Jr.
Jenkins, Willie
Jenkins, Willie
Johnson, Charles
Johnson, Feagin
Johnson, G. C.
Johnson, Jimmie
Johnson, Johnnie J.
Johnson, Price
Johnson, Simon
Johnson, Spencer
Johnson, Sylvester
Johnson, Thomas J. C.
Johnson, Tommie
Jones, Chancey
Jones, Clifford
Jones, Dan Jeff
Jones, Hayes
Jones, Henry
Jones, Major
Jones, Roosevelt
Jones, Shepherd L.
Jones, Willie
Jones, Willie Moffett
Jonking, Jim
Julkes, Albert
Julkes, Ephrom
Julkes, Warren

Kelley, John K.
Kelly, Ad
Kelly, Mitchell
Kennebrew, Usher
Key, Charlie B.
Key, George
Key, Henry
Key, Jesse
Key, Nathan
Key, Ned
Kindell, R. T.
Kitt, Edmond

Laine, Nathaniel
Lane, John Edward
Lane, Johnnie W.
Lane, Wylie
Laster, James
Laury, Andrew
Levett, William
Lewis, Peter
Lewis, Sherman
Ligon, Riley
Lockett, George
Lockwood, W. P.
Long, Sims
Long, Will
Love, Milton
Loveless, Ed
Loyd, Ernest

Macon, V. M.
Maddox, Jesse
Mahone, Dave L.
Mahone, Fonzie
Manley, Charlie Young
Martin, Governor
Martin, Lewis
Martin, Roosevelt
Martin, Wesley
Mason, Frazier
Mays, Clabon
McGrady, Thomas
McKee, Essex
McMullen, Wash
McNeill, Willie
Menefee, Joe
Menefee, John
Miles, William
Mims, Richard
Mindingal, Samuel
Mitchell, Gary
Mitchell, John
Moore, Aaron
Moore, Abner
Moore, Alonzo
Moore, Ezekiel
Moore, Felix
Moore, Frank
Moore, Marshall
Moore, Willie Bill
Morgan, Lenza
Morrest, Hobbie
Moss, Frank
Moss, Frederick
Moss, Grant
Moss, John J.
Moss, Otis
Motley, Peter
Mott, Julius
Murphy, Dock
Murray, Albert
Multry, Jim
Myrick, I. S.

Neal, Rufus
Neal, Rubin
Norwood, Ed
Nunley, Willie

Ogletree, York    
O’Neal, Thaddeus

Pace, Eddie
Pace, Elmore
Pace, Evans
Pace, George
Pace, Henry
Pace, Lonzie
Pace, Nelse
Pace, Otis
Pace, Steve
Padgett, Whitelaw
Parker, Eli
Parker, Will
Patterson, Cleve
Paulk, Frank
Payne, Ludie
Pearsall, Pender
Pendleton, John
Pendleton, Ed D.
Phillips, Tom
Phillips, Charlie
Phillips, Ed
Phillips, John Williams
Phillips, Ned
Philpot, Prince
Philpot, Roland
Pinkard, Charlie
Pinkard, Charlie Lee
Plezes, Walter
Polk, Albert
Pollard, Charlie
Pollard, Elbert
Pollard, Lucius
Pollard, Osburn
Pollard, Vertis
Pollard, Will
Pollard, Woodie
Porch, Bertha
Potts, Jethro
Pruitt, Taylor
Pugh, Armistead
Pugh, Arthur

Randolph, Joe
Randolph, Johnnie
Randolph, Major
Randolph, Robert
Ray, George
Ray, William
Reed, Andrew
Reed, Doughlas
Reed, Fletcher
Reynolds, Charles
Reynolds, Gus
Rhone, C. H.
Ries, Clinton
Robbins, Tom
Roberson, Lige
Roberts, Bob Lee
Robinson, Albert
Robinson, Butler
Rockmore, Ben
Rogers, Henry
Rowell, Charlie
Rowell, Edmond
Rowell, Theodore
Ruff, R. L.
Rush, Lieutenant
Rush, Wash
Russell, Clarence
Russell, Jeff
Russell, Willie

Samuel, Bill
Samuel, George    
Samuel, Odell
Samuel, Tom George
Sanford, Emmet
Sanford, Fletcher
Scott, Lester
Scott, Nelson
Scott, William
Seatts, John
Shaw, Charlie
Shaw, Herman
Shelton, John
Shelton, Purvies
Shumpert, Paul
Simmons, Freddie
Simmons, John
Simpson, Bennie
Simpson, Simmie
Sinclair, Anderson
Sinclair, Oscar
Sistrunk, Henry
Slaughter, John
Smith, Cain
Smith, Dudley
Smith, Eugene
Smith, Hillard
Smith, Jimmie
Smith, Joe
Smith, John Wesley
Smith, Lieutenant
Smith, Low
Smith, Richard
Smith, Robert Harvey
Smith, Thomas Kelly
Sparks, Ed
Speed, Olin
Spivey, Jim
Stewart, Mack
Storey, Millard    
Swanson, Mark
Swanson, Please, Sr.
Swanson, Tom
Swanson, Tump
Swanson, Will Bossy
Swanson, Willie
Swift, Lawrence
Swift, Son
Swint, Andrew

Talbert, Oscar
Talley, Louis
Tarver, Eugene
Tarver, Oscar
Tate, Edward
Tate, Louis
Tate, Robert Lee
Tatum, Mayso
Tatum, Sylvester
Taylor, Richard
Taylor, Van
Taylor, Warn
Twemple, George
Theney, Bob
Thomas, Jessie
Thomas, Pat
Thompson, Peter
Thompson, Willis
Tinsley, Edison
Todd, Walter
Tolbert, George Washington
Tolbert, Jim
Tolbert, Ocie
Tramble, Willie
Trammell, Percy
Tredwell, Alf
Turk, Will
Turner, Joe
Turner, West
Turpin, Jim
Tyner, Stephen
Tyson, Freddie Lee

Upshaw, Milton

Veal, Jim
Veals, Coleman

Wade, Mitchell
Waggoner, John
Walker, Andrew
Walker, John Warren
Walls, Joe Nathan
Ware, Alex
Warren, Altlee
Warren, Ed
Warren, Sonnie
Watson, John Henry
Watson, John L.
Watt, Willie
Weathers, Alonzo
Weatherspoon, Sam
Webb, William
Welch, Dan
West, Anthony
Wheat, Tobe
Wheeler, Jake
White, Archie
White, Leonard
White, Sonny
Whitlow, Ed
Whitlow, Motelle
Williams, Albert
Williams, Andrew
Williams, Bill
Williams, Bill Henry
Williams, Bill Jesse
Willaim, Coleman
Williams, Eugene
Williams, George
Williams, Henry
Williams, James
Williams, Lewis
Williams, Mathew
Williams, Meshach
Williams, Morris
Williams, Reuben
Williams, Steve J.
Williams, Tom
Willis, J. W.
Willis, Wilbur
Wilson, Governor
Wilson, Houston
Wilson, Logan
Wilson, Roy
Wimbush, James
Wood, Charlie, Jr.
Wood, Charlie, Sr.
Wood, Grant
Wood, Louis
Woodall, Nelson
Woodall, R. D. 
Woolfolk, Jessie
Wright, Clarence
Wright, Ernest
Wright, Jim
Wright, Ludie
Wright, Rev. T. W.
Wright, Will
Wyatt, Tom

Yancey, Booker
Yarbrough, Mark
York, Harrison
Young, Jack

who we are

Voices For Our Fathers Legacy Foundation was organized in 2014 by descendants of the 625 men unethically and immorally treated in the United States Public Health Service Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male at Tuskegee and Macon County, Alabama 1932 - 1972. The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that connects descendants across generations, provides annual scholarships to descendants, participates in the Research Project: “The Untold Story”, offers support and guidance to the Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care, while pursuing all other strategic plans. 

the importance of our foundation

Voices for Our Fathers Legacy Foundation is a necessary change to the narrative of the United States Public Health Service Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male at Tuskegee and Macon County, Alabama 1932 - 1972 about 625 African American men who were subjected to inhuman and unethical healthcare and treatment in rural Macon County, Alabama for forty years. They cannot remain being remembered only as poor, uneducated, uninformed guinea pigs. The United States Public Health Service Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male at Tuskegee and Macon County, Alabama 1932 - 1972 had tremendous ramifications on the small Macon County community and African Americans communities around the Nation. In today’s culture we are witnessing growing disparities in health care amongst those in most need and enduring social injustices. It is incumbent upon the Foundation to become an agent that will promote and advocate for ethical treatment in health care. It is also important that the Foundation move forward with purposeful actions while remembering their suffering and sacrifices.

Listen to the Sound of My Heart

 By Leo Ware

Having a vision for the Crest and a heavy heart, the symbols that appear in this Crest are those that I gathered over many years.  If you notice the date and time, the idea and the vision came to me in the Kellogg Center which appear at the bottom right of the Crest.  The tools and plow belonged to my father and were passed to me, they are part of the collections that were transported from Alabama to my home in Orlando Florida.  The idea of the plow, I was going to make a mailbox stand at my home in Orlando Florida.  The heart symbol is a candy dish that my Aunt Emma Ware gave to me, which is in my living room on a table in Orlando Florida.  The Bible was also given to me by Aunt Emma which includes a passage that fit the incidents that have occurred in the study.  It was on an index card that stated “A bruised reed He (God) will not break, and a smoldering wick He (God) will not snuff out, till He leads justice to victory.  In his name the nations will get their hope.” Matthews 12:20-21.  I used this passage in a lot of correspondence with the documents that I sent to the Courts of Alabama about the case and to other Senators, Judges, Congress Representatives, Ministers, my family Petition.  The numbers in the Center of the Cross-represent the men that were in the Study, the? mark is there because in documents there was a conflict of these numbers.  My thought also, was it did not reflect the women and children that might have been affected.  There is no clear total.  The white doves represent love in spite of it all, let your love shine, go Green, save the environment for our future generation.  The cemetery picture was taken years ago, from where that picture was taken you could observe the sunset and also Charlie Pollards headstone.  The P, I designed for the Pollard Family Reunion Crest, years ago which was conceived at the Family Reunion in 1998 in Washington DC.  The vision for this are that there are a lot of Pollard family members that were in the study.  Why not people of color made in God’s image.  That and other things that you notice were a vision that I arrived at which I thought would make this identifying mark.  With all these symbols, I think it was Gods will that this Crest be done.

The song that is narrated for the Crest was also incidental.  I was visiting in Columbia South Carolina and attended an Alumni Concert of Booker T Washington High School with Beverly Brooks (Voices for Our Father Legacy Foundation member) and her Godmother Ms. Jean Hopkins that sings on this choir.  The song which is an old Negro Spiritual (Go Down Moses) which was rearranged & directed by Dr. Carl Wells, Minister of Second Calvary Church in Columba SC was being sung.  I said “that is the song for the meaning of the Crest”, Dr. Wells left the concert early because he had another engagement and so did Beverly and I, we ran into him in the parking lot and I told him what I was trying to do, he sent me the song with his blessing (look at Gods favor).  I then traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to visit my sister Nadine Tolbert and my brother Lee Edward Ware who are also descendants of the Study and my brother had a friend that had a studio and a voice for recording and he agreed to record and narrate the song (for a fee) for the meaning of the Crest.  Gods Will! 

This is the story of the Crest and the song. 

This story was meant to be told… 

Download the scholarship application and instructions for applying. Return to the email address listed below, or mail to the address listed on the application.

Contact:

For more information about the scholarship please email us.

BISHOP Deirdre Parker Jackson

djacksoneducator@gmail.com

KIMBERLY BUFORD, Ph.D

kncarr17@gmail.com

Voices For Our Fathers Legacy Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Scholarship Applications are available from January 2, 2024 to March 15, 2024.