Slavery came to our shores 400 years ago this month, and it has shaped the United States ever since, including, it turns out, medical science. A new essay in The New York Times details how slaves were tortured in the name of medicine and how myths about black people’s bodies persist. Linda Villarosa wrote the piece. She grew up in Lakewood. Her essay is part of a major series at The New York Times called "The 1619 Project," which contends that the arrival of slaves marks this country's true founding.
