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Body and Soul

The Black Panther Party and the Fight against Medical Discrimination

Alondra Nelson author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:University of Minnesota Press

Published:1st Sep '13

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Body and Soul cover

In Body and Soul, Alondra Nelson examines the Black Panther Party's significant yet underappreciated role in advocating for health care as a human right.

In Body and Soul, Alondra Nelson explores a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of the Black Panther Party's activism: health care. The narrative reveals how the Party's commitment to health was both a practical response to the dire needs of their communities and an ideological stance rooted in the belief that health is a fundamental human right. Nelson's research uncovers the Party's pioneering efforts in establishing free health clinics and advocating for the rights of marginalized populations, particularly in the context of medical discrimination and the social implications of genetics.

The Black Panther Party, active from 1966 to 1980, is frequently remembered for its revolutionary rhetoric and militant actions. However, Body and Soul highlights the Party's significant contributions to public health, including campaigns to raise awareness about genetic diseases and initiatives that addressed the health disparities faced by African Americans. By drawing on extensive historical research and interviews with former members, Nelson illustrates how the Party's health activism was a natural extension of its broader social justice goals.

Furthermore, Nelson argues that the Black Panther Party's insights into health care anticipated contemporary discussions surrounding health politics and race. Their legacy is evident in today's ongoing struggles for universal health care and the work of health activists who continue to fight for equitable access to medical services. Body and Soul serves as a vital reminder of the intersection between health and social justice, emphasizing that the fight for health equity is far from over.

In Body and Soul, Alondra Nelson combines careful research, deep political insight, and passionate commitment to tell the little-known story of the Black Panther Party's health activism in the late 1960s. In doing so, and in showing how the problems of poverty, discrimination, and access to medical care remain hauntingly similar more than forty years later, Nelson reminds us that the struggle continues, particularly for African Americans, and that social policies have profound moral implications.—Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks


This book is a revelation. Alondra Nelson uncovers two remarkable histories in Body and Soul. First, she provides the deep context for our current conversation about the health disparities that plague the African-American community and that are, as she puts it, ‘quite literally sickening.’ Second, she adds immeasurably to our knowledge of the Black Panther Party, complicating its commonplace designation as a radical, militant organization to unearth its dedication and hard work in advocating for and providing equal and quality health care for even the most underserved African Americans. Nelson is the first scholar I know of to bring these two histories into dialogue with each other, and she does so with spectacular results. This is a tremendously important book.—Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard University


The activities of the Black Panther Party have long been reduced to stories of violent police confrontations and empty propaganda. By taking seriously the claims and the practices of the Black Panthers with respect to the health of Black people, Alondra Nelson has provided a critical corrective to earlier studies. More importantly, this is a brilliant analysis of a significant moment in the long tradition of health advocacy on the part of African Americans. Body and Soul is a major achievement.—Evelynn Hammonds, Harvard University


In her revisionist account, Nelson insightfully guides the reader through the range of campaigns by which the Black Panther Party paved the way to broad efforts to promote biomedical inclusion and democratize access to medical knowledge and practice.—Steven Epstein, author of Inclusion: The Politics of Difference in Medical Research

  • Joint winner of Body and Soul 2012

ISBN: 9780816676491

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 38mm

Weight: unknown

312 pages