Of all Pennsylvanians vaccinated against COVID-19, only 2 percent are Black.
"There is fear, hesitation," said Calvin Riddick. "At first I was like, 'no I'm not taking it, I'm not gonna do it.'"
Ultimately, Riddick got vaccinated, but that came after lots of research and education about the vaccine's safety and efficacy, and learning that a Black woman was behind the Moderna vaccine.
"That put my mind at ease," Riddick said.
His hesitation deserves historical context.
"It's what has been served to us on a plate down through the generations, we can't trust the white man because of their past history," said Esther Lee, president of the Bethlehem chapter of the NAACP. "The Tuskegee issue comes up mostly."
The Tuskegee Project started in 1932 and lasted 40 years.
Nearly 600 Black men were studied to see what happened when syphilis went untreated within the Black community. Participants were compensated with meals and exams, but those who had the disease weren't told about their diagnosis and were unaware they weren't being treated, even when treatments were available.
A class action lawsuit was filed on the matter in the 70s, and in the late 90s President Clinton apologized on the nation's behalf.
"It's enough to deter people of color from getting the vaccine," Lee said.
Lee says barriers, including access to technology and proximity to clinics, are other factors.
She's also vaccinated, and like Riddick believes education is key in inoculating more African Americans.
"If they're more informed I believe they would get the vaccination," Riddick said.
Dr. Harold Kreithen is chairman of the Allentown NAACP Medical Committee. He's organized a Zoom seminar for later this month.
"To try to reach out to the African American community in particular to give them factual information about the vaccination program," Kreithen said.
It's scheduled for March 24 at 7:30 p.m. To register, email naacpallentown@gmail.com.
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Many in Black community in Pa. hesitant to get COVID-19 vaccine - WFMZ Allentown
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