A study recently published by UCLA researchers suggests that showing white people historical photos of racism toward black Americans in the healthcare system helps them believe racism exists today.
The study, published by the American Psychological Association, exposed approximately 400 white participants to decades-old images that allegedly depicted instances of discrimination towards black Americans in the healthcare system.
“Importantly, [the study] found that learning about Critical Black History in healthcare increased White Americans’ perspective-taking and led to more recognition of and support for addressing racism broadly, and racism in healthcare specifically,” the study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General stated.
Participants were shown, for example, a photo about Fannie Lou Hamer, a black woman who was sterilized without her consent. Though the study says the photos were from the 1800s to present, it only provided one example.