Skip to main content

Ugly History: The U.S. Syphilis Experiment - Susan M. Reverby

620,544 Views

4,940 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Afflicting nearly 1 in 10 Americans, syphilis was ravaging the U.S. in the 1930s. Many doctors believed syphilis affected Black and white patients differently, and the Public Health Service launched an experiment to investigate, recruiting 600 Black men to take part. But the study was centered on a lie: the men wouldn’t actually receive treatment. Susan Reverby details the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Susan M. Reverby
  • Director Rikke Planeta, Philip Piaget
  • Narrator Christina Greer
  • Storyboard Artist Rikke Planeta, Philip Piaget
  • Animator Philip Piaget
  • Art Director Federico Pirovano
  • Producer The Animation Workshop, Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Music Stephen LaRosa
  • Sound Designer Stephen LaRosa
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal, Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Iseult Gillespie
  • Production Coordinator Abdallah Ewis
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

More from Government: Declassified