An Associated Press story reveals that the U.S. Public Health Service had for 40 years withheld treatment from Black men with syphilis in Tuskegee.
At a Glance
- Date
- 25 July 1972
- Location
- Tuskegee, Alabama
- Key people
- Peter Buxtun, Jean Heller
- Category
- Science, Medicine & Invention
- Source
- Associated Press report, July 25, 1972 · CDC
What It Meant Then
The exposure ended one of the most notorious abuses in American medical history.
What It Means Now
It led to federal rules on informed consent and a lasting legacy of medical mistrust.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The Tuskegee Syphilis Study Is Exposed.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tuskegee-syphilis-study-is-exposed/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The Tuskegee Syphilis Study Is Exposed. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tuskegee-syphilis-study-is-exposed/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The Tuskegee Syphilis Study Is Exposed.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tuskegee-syphilis-study-is-exposed/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.