Chapter 14: Helen Lane
The debate about releasing Henrietta’s name to the public is documented in letters located in
the AMCA. The article that identified “Henrietta Lakes” as the source of the HeLa cell line was
“U Polio-detection Method to Aid in Prevention Plans,” Minneapolis Star, November 2, 1953.
The first article to identify “Helen L.” as the source of the HeLa cell line was Bill Davidson,
“Probing the Secret of Life,” Collier’s, May 14, 1954.