Lacks, Gladys Lacks, Ruby Lacks, Thurl Lacks, Polly Martin, Sadie Sturdivant, John and Dolly
Terry, and Peter Wooden. Special thanks to Cliff Garret, a wonderful storyteller who helped
bring Henrietta’s youth and old Clover to life for me, and always made me smile. Thanks also
to Christine Pleasant Tonkin, a distant relative of Henrietta Lacks who traced the Pleasant
side of Henrietta’s family back to its slave ancestors and generously shared her research with
me; she also read the manuscript and provided many valuable suggestions. And to Courtney
Speed for her enthusiasm, for sharing her story, and for gathering others to talk with me.
I feel lucky to have found Mary Kubicek, whose sharp memory, tireless patience, and en-
thusiasm were invaluable. The same is true of George Gey Jr. and his sister, Frances
Greene. I’m very fortunate that they spent much of their childhood in the Gey lab with their
parents and were able to bring those years to life for me. Thanks also to Frances’s husband,
Frank Greene.
I’m very grateful to the many librarians and archivists who took the time to track down old
newspaper and journal articles, photos, videos, and other resources. Special thanks to Andy
Harrison, curator of the George Gey collection at the Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives;
to former University of Pittsburgh library sciences students Amy Notarius and Elaina Vitale; to
Frances Woltz, who provided me with a wealth of information and stories; and to Hap Ha-
good, Phoebe Evans Letocha, and Tim Wisniewski. David Smith at the New York Public Lib-
rary helped me as he has many other lucky writers, and secured me a quiet workspace in the
library’s Wertheim Study. David Rose, archivist for the March of Dimes Foundation, took such
a deep interest in this book that he conducted hours’ worth of helpful research on my behalf.
To him I owe tremendous gratitude (and lunch).
Hundreds of people gave generously of their time for interviews, and I thank them all, partic-
ularly George Annas, Laure Aurelian, Baruch Blumberg, Ellen Wright Clayton, Nathanial
Comfort, Louis Diggs, Bob Gellman, Carol Greider, Michael Grodin, Wayne Grody, Cal Har-
ley, Robert Hay, Kathy Hudson, Grover Hutchins, Richard Kidwell, David Korn, Robert Kur-
man, John Masters, Stephen O’Brien, Anna O’Connell, Robert Pollack, John Rash, Judith
Greenberg, Paul Lurz, Todd Savitt, Terry Sharrer, Mark Sobel, Robert Weir, Barbara Wyche,
and Julius Youngner. For their time, encouragement, and expertise I give special thanks to
Lori Andrews, Ruth Faden, and Lisa Parker, who spurred my thinking with early conversa-
tions, and read the manuscript, offering helpful comments. Thanks also to Duncan Wilson,
who provided me with an early version of his dissertation and some very helpful research ma-
terials.
Several scientists deserve special thanks: Howard W Jones, Victor McKusick, and Susan
Hsu shared invaluable memories; all were unflinchingly honest and patient with my many