Autonomy: Haitian Protest, Henrietta Lacks, and Chang and Eng Bunker

In this episode of 10 Minute History, we explore three gripping stories where the fight for bodily autonomy clashes with prejudice, exploitation, and power.

We begin in the 1980s with the Haitian Blood Refusal, when Haitians in New York City rose up against a discriminatory policy by the CDC that labeled them a health threat during the AIDS crisis—despite zero scientific proof.

we uncover the remarkable and contradictory lives of Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins who became wealthy American landowners—and slaveholders. Their journey from being objectified sideshow attractions to becoming part of the Southern aristocracy forces us to reckon with what happens when the oppressed become the oppressors.

This episode isn’t just about history—it’s about power, resistance, and the complicated paths we take in pursuit of freedom.